


After Hours

by chasethewind



Series: After Hours: The Series [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - BDSM, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Sex, BDSM, Caning, Canon Related, Corporal Punishment, Corporate Espionage, Dom/sub, Drama & Romance, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Explicit Sexual Content, Extortion, F/F, F/M, Femdom, Injury Recovery, Major Character Injury, Manipulation, Multi, Mutual Masturbation, Mystery, Non-Consensual Violence, Pegging, Physical Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Torture, Psychological Trauma, Rape, Repaying Debt, Sadism, Serious Injuries, Sex Club, Sexual Violence, Spanking, Stalking, Submission, Threesome - F/F/M, Torture, Unconventional Relationship, Violence, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-03
Updated: 2015-10-05
Packaged: 2018-02-28 00:32:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 33
Words: 164,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2712419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chasethewind/pseuds/chasethewind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arrow AU: There was a time when IT specialist Felicity Smoak's life wasn't complicated. She had a decent paying job at Queen Consolidated and a small apartment in Starling City that she loved. But the crushing debts of her student loans from MIT had put her in some rather compromising positions outside the office, earning money doing things only a girl from Vegas would dare to do. A chance encounter with none other than Queen Consolidated's new CEO quickly changes her life and turns it upside down.</p><p>Oliver Queen is charming, suave, and downright gorgeous, a dangerous combination that Felicity has seen many times over in her short life. But there's something about him that draws her into his world. They both share a dark secret, a secret Oliver already knows before she even walks into his office that fateful day. Only one question remains: Will she take him up on his offer to erase her debts in exchange for what she can offer him after hours?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: (the usual, don't own, idea was mine though)
> 
> AN: This was the novel I wrote for NaNoWriMo this year. I got all the way through chapter 10 when I hit 50K words. I hope you all like it even if it is a deviation from what I normally write. This idea hit me months ago before I decided to finally explore it. I haven't been able to stop since.
> 
>  **Just a warning, though. This story deals heavily with BDSM and adult themes.** There is a lot more in store and I will probably expand this into a series because I have a lot of ideas floating around in my head for a second story that follows this one. We'll see what happens when I finish it, but for now, just know, there's a LOT coming.

Of course that Wednesday had to be the day Ed Raymond called in sick and all hell broke loose. And of course she'd be the one picking up the slack and fixing everything. That was a no brainer. Being the best of the best when it came to computers and information technology wasn't without its perks and pitfalls. Today's mess was a pitfall, but Felicity Smoak wouldn't trade it for the world.

Yet she would if it meant actually working on code to improve the security firewalls in place instead of scurrying from one executive's office to another in order to reboot the computer. At one point she'd been tempted to ask if the caller on the line had just turned it off and turned it back on again, but that could have resulted in more of a headache than just going up there to do it herself. Most of the executives were in their late 50's to early 60's and barely knew a thing about computers. That's what made her job such a pain in the ass today.

Instead of Ed being the one to scurry around fixing things, it fell into Felicity's lap. She was second in command of the I.T. department at Queen Consolidated, a position she'd worked hard to get into after being hired right out of college by none other than the former CEO himself, Robert Queen. He'd seen her potential and offered her a position as one of the techs at first, promising to promote her once she proved herself. Felicity had done just that, and within six months, she'd moved from a tiny, turquoise-colored cubicle to her own office beside the server room, which was usually her domain.

The pay still wasn't great, though. Felicity had acquired enough debt during her years at MIT that she needed a second, less respectable job in order to help pay off her loans. She hoped the hard work she put into not only fixing computers, but also updating the network with new security features that would help keep the company safe from cyber attacks would move her farther up the corporate ladder, but she'd been the assistant manager for the past two years now, and she was itching to do more.

Felicity had hope, though. After all, Robert Queen himself had promised her great things for her future, but then he had unexpectedly retired and his son, Oliver, had taken over the company. She had yet to meet the young CEO, which was probably a good thing considering everything she'd read about him in the tabloids. His early exploits as a playboy were well documented in the media. But after a drunk driving incident claimed the life of his best friend, Tommy Merlyn, and left Oliver in a coma for several weeks, he'd definitely changed, something Felicity had only really paid attention to the past few years since she started working at Queen Consolidated.

Oliver Queen looked like a younger version of his father, but he was quieter, darker, more imposing. At least that was what Felicity had heard from some of the techs that had run up to his office to fix any issues with his or his assistant's computers. One of the girls from her department had gone so far as to say he stood over her shoulder the entire time, watching her like a hawk until the job was complete, then he'd dismissed her without a thank you or goodbye.

Another ping rang through Felicity's speakers indicating a distress call from one of the executive suites on the 39th floor. Rolling her bright blue eyes, she scribbled down the information and grabbed her tool kit just in case it was more than an internet browser full of porn. Just seeing what some of the higher ups searched for made her cringe before she remembered some of the less savory things she'd done these past few months in order to keep her debt collectors at bay.

"Another call out?"

Felicity turned to the person that asked the question and smiled politely. Sitting at a desk close to the front of the I.T. department with one leg crossed over the other, revealing miles of bare leg, Carrie Cutter sat like the fiery, red-haired office vixen she was. Always wearing skirts that were far too short for work, most of the male executives always asked for her assistance when they needed someone to fix a computer problem.

But with Felicity in charge, they were content on calling her instead, even if she wasn't as sexy as Carrie. She was far more efficient, though, getting the job done in half the time it took her counterpart. But she figured there were other, more salacious reasons for that, reasons she'd heard through office gossip. Carrie Cutter was out to make a name for herself, and she'd do it by any means necessary, even if it meant she'd be the star of the water cooler gossip.

"Yes," Felicity sighed. "They just keep coming. I don't know how Ed does this all day."

"He delegates, something you need to learn how to do," Carrie snidely replied as she looked down at her perfectly manicured blood red nails. "Why don't you let me take this one? You can scamper off and do whatever it is you do at night."

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Felicity answered, "No. It's fine. I can take care of this on my own. It's almost quitting time anyway, so why don't you finish fixing that computer you've been working on all day while I go upstairs and take care of whatever needs to be taken care of?"

She'd never been a catty person, but something in Carrie's demeanor always brought out her inner bitch. It was as if she was always trying to find a way to best Felicity when they both knew her IQ and her I.T. accum were far greater than anyone else in the department. But since Carrie was willing to wear the short skirts and show more cleavage, it seemed as if she'd always be everyone's favorite, and that really got under Felicity's skin. She would never admit to it, though, or let it seep into her work intentionally. She'd play it neutral until she got the job she wanted and could break away from the grunt work.

"Whatever," Carrie hissed before turning back to the computer.

'What the hell did she do in eight hours?' Felicity found herself wondering as she turned and walked towards the elevator. One of these days, she'd place a camera over Carrie's desk and see exactly what she did during her work day. She had a sneaking suspicion it had nothing to do with work.

The elevator door chimed its arrival and Felicity hopped on, heading up to the executive offices where she was needed. She hoped the problem wouldn't take too long. The day was almost over, and she needed to get ready for her night job if she wanted to work off a little more of her debt. Getting stuck trying to fix another executive's computer after it crashed would set back her timetable and net her less money after hours.

When the elevator chimed again, its swirled gold and red glass doors opening to reveal dark marble and blue sky slowly turning shades of purple, Felicity's breath caught in her throat. This was her first trip to the 39th floor since Robert Queen had hired her. She hadn't been up here in almost three years, but it was obvious that the new CEO had decided to keep the place as it was, making no obvious changes from what she remembered.

Stepping up to the executive assistant's desk, she politely identified herself to the woman occupying the chair. "Ah, yes, Miss Smoak. Mr. Queen is expecting you. Go right on in," the lanky brunette said in a voice a little too high pitched for her liking. But Felicity smiled, thanking the assistant, whose nameplate read "Isabel Rochev."

She pushed through the large plate glass doors into the spacious executive office once occupied by Robert Queen to find his son sitting at a brand new desk, one made of polished steel and frosted glass. It was a stark contrast from the wood desk Robert had, but then her eyes settled on the new CEO and she stopped in her tracks.

Pictures of Oliver Queen failed to do him justice. The real life version was far more gorgeous than she could have imagined, even if his attention was focused on the piece of paper he was writing on. He had sharp features: from his cheekbones to his jaw, his face seemed to be chiseled like ancient Roman statues of the gods. The rest of his body looked just as good, dressed from head to toe in fine Italian grey wool suit that fit him to a tee. Embarrassing thoughts quickly began to swirl in her mind, and Felicity did everything in her power to try and stop them.

But nothing could prepare her for the moment he looked up and their eyes met. Startling sapphire pools bore into her, catching her off guard. Her jaw dropped as she stared at him for several moments longer than necessary. The scruff covering his cheeks and jaw made him look even more imposing than he already was, something her body was having a strange reaction to.

"Felicity Smoak?" he said in a voice so rich and velvety, she almost swooned. But it also served to pull her back to reality. He was standing, all six feet of him towering over her tiny five-foot-three frame in her ballet flats with the panda faces on the toes. She should have been more embarrassed by her choice in footwear, but at that moment, her mind was far from it.

Felicity swallowed hard when a smile graced his lips, showing off the dimples in his cheeks. "Hi, I'm Oliver Queen," he introduced himself, extending his hand towards her.

Well, that was rather unexpected, Felicity thought for a second. Oliver Queen was nothing like the girls in the office said. He actually came off… warm toward her.

"Of course I know who you are, Mr. Queen," she replied, respectfully shaking his hand, proud that she'd saved herself from an awkward situation just in time.

"Mr. Queen was my father," he said, as if trying to correct her even though she knew it was proper etiquette addressing her boss the way she did.

"Right, but he's gone. I mean, he retired. But you didn't. Retire, that is. Instead you took over for him. Which means you could call me up from the I.T. department and listen to me babble." There went her mouth, taking on a life of its own as her cheeks flushed scarlet. "Which will end in three… two… one…"

Felicity took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment before she opened them again to find her boss staring down at her with a warm smile and a twinkle in his eye. He didn't look perturbed by her accidental word vomit, like many people usually did. Instead, there was a fondness in that deep blue gaze she wasn't expecting.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Queen?" she asked, hoping this time around her brain-to-mouth filter would kick in even though she knew more awkward rambling would follow in a matter of time. It always seemed to happen around the attractive ones, which was why she was so glad her second job forced her to keep quiet most of the time.

"First off, call me Oliver," he said, gesturing toward a chair across from his desk. "Second, I seemed to have made a mess of my computer." Oliver gestured towards his laptop and the remnants of a spilled drink that had been hastily wiped clean before she'd come up.

"Oh, my poor baby!" Felicity nearly cried as she quickly pushed him out of the way and moved behind the desk to inspect the ruined tech in front of her. "What did you do? Spill a latte on it?" she angrily asked when she picked up the laptop and saw brown liquid leak out of one of the screw holes.

"As a matter of fact, I did," he said with much hesitation. The murderous gaze she threw at him made Oliver take a step back. "I'm sorry." He winced out his apology, throwing his hands up just before Felicity turned back to the ruined keyboard.

"Well, it looks like you're going to need a new one," she ground out, hoping her words didn't sound too harsh considering she'd just scared her boss with the amount of love she showed to all things electronic. With a heavy sigh, Felicity shut the lid and quickly unplugged it. "I'll see if I can salvage any of the data. With luck, you didn't completely fry the motherboard or hard drive. It might take a little while, but I am the best, after all. If I can't salvage this, nobody can."

"What should I do in the meantime?" Oliver asked as she tucked the computer under her arm and began to make her way out of his office.

"I can have one of the techs run up with a replacement for the time being," Felicity said. "Just please don't drink another latte anywhere near it. Otherwise you're going to hear my loud voice and that could possibly get me fired."

Oliver smirked. He actually smirked as she gazed up at him, his deep blue eyes boring into her. It made Felicity cock her head at him for a moment, intrigued by that look. The man was a mystery, that she was sure of. He was hiding something behind that scrutinous gaze, something that she was itching to uncover.

"I promise, no more lattes near any electronic equipment," Oliver vowed, holding up one hand as if giving an oath to her.

"Good," Felicity replied with a nod. "I'm going to run back down to my office and see if I can fix this for you tonight. If you need to finish anything, I can have a tech up here in ten minutes with a new computer."

"Take your time. I was just heading out for the evening," he said. "Would it be alright if I walked you to the elevator?"

This was the first time anyone had ever offered to walk her to an elevator before, but Felicity nodded as she turned to head out of the office. Oliver quickly strode ahead of her, opening the door since her arms were full. She kindly thanked him and soon they were boarding a car that would first top on her floor before continuing down to the lobby.

When the elevator chimed and the doors opened, Felicity proceeded to disembark, but his voice drew her attention back. "It was nice meeting you, Felicity," Oliver said. A warm smile crossed his lips, showing off those sexy dimples again.

"You too," she stammered, returning the smile with one of her own.

"My father was right about you," he added before the doors closed and he was gone.

Felicity was left standing there staring at the brushed steel as she tried to comprehend what he meant by that statement. Shrugging it off, she returned to her office and began working on the ruined laptop, hoping it wouldn't take longer than an hour to fix. She had her own obligations that evening, none of which would be too happy if she showed up late.

It only took Felicity half an hour to transfer the important components of the ruined laptop into a new casing, one that was more resistant to spilled drinks than its predecessor. The hard drive and motherboard had been, thankfully, left relatively unscathed in the latte incident, as she would call it from now on. After booting it up to make sure it ran, she did a complete virus scan just to make sure it was clean before powering it down and heading back upstairs to leave it on Oliver's desk.

Mercifully, he was gone for the day, which meant she wouldn't be embarrassing herself with anymore word vomit incidents. Instead, she tiptoed past his assistant's empty desk and through the glass doors into his now dark and quiet office. At least that's what she thought until she heard whispers coming from the conference room next door.

"I know you wanted to spice things up, Ollie, but sex in your office is a little mundane," Felicity overheard a slightly high pitched voice say just as she stepped past the small lounge area a few feet from the glass desk. She froze immediately, afraid she'd stumbled into something that would get her into trouble or possibly fired.

Turning on her heels, Felicity high-tailed it out of there with the laptop still securely under her arm. But her escape didn't go quite as planned. She accidentally bumped into the modern black leather couch in the seating area a few feet from the desk, making it scrape across the marble floor. Hurried footsteps rushed in from the conference room just as she turned.

Oliver and a woman about her height with golden blonde hair were staring at her in shock.

"Mr. Queen! I am so sorry for the interruption. I just finished your laptop and thought I'd bring it back up to your office before I left for the day. But I obviously stopped in at the wrong time. I swear I didn't hear a thing, and even if I did, I'd never say anything to anyone because I really like my job and…"

"Felicity," Oliver quickly cut her off mid-ramble, his voice calm instead of condescending.

Her mouth immediately snapped shut as she stared at the couple standing a few feet away from her.

"Hi, I'm Sara Lance," the blonde in tight black jeans said as she stepped forward, hand extended in greeting. "Felicity, right?"

"Um, yeah…" she replied, shaking the woman's hand, still wide-eyed and slightly terrified from what had transpired earlier.

"I'm a… friend of Ollie's. It's nice to meet you."

"Felicity is a tech from the I.T. department," Oliver said

"Assistant Manager, actually, but I usually work on tech when Ed's not here. I actually prefer it to talking executives through shutting their computers off and turning them back on. That can get frustrating after a while, as I've learned today," Felicity said before pursing her lips. "And there I go again with the babbling."

"You're cute," Sara replied with a smile as she adjusted her black leather jacket over her ample breasts, something Felicity happened to notice considering they were basically on display in her tight black V-neck top.

"Thank… you?" she said.

Sara grinned at her while Oliver chuckled and shook his head.

Suddenly Felicity felt rather uncomfortable by the way the conversation had turned. She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth before realizing she still held the laptop under her arm. "Anyway, here's your computer, Mr. Queen," she said, holding it out to him. "Again, sorry for the interruption. I'll just be on my way."

Still red-faced and utterly mortified, Felicity turned on her heels to leave, but Oliver's voice drew her back. "Felicity," he called. She pivoted on her heels to face him. "Why don't you join us for dinner tonight? After all, you pretty much saved my laptop and possibly the company with your quick work."

"I... Uh… What?" she sputtered, feeling as if she'd been thrown into an episode of the  _Twilight Zone_.

"Think of it as my way of repaying you for all the great work you do for this company," Oliver said.

Felicity paused for a moment, simply staring at the couple in front of her. She didn't know what to make of the situation. Robert Queen had wined and dined her back when she had just graduated from college, but that was because he'd wanted her to choose his company over all the other job offers she'd received from around the country.

Oliver, on the other hand, seemed to have a completely different agenda, one she couldn't figure out, especially after his line just before the elevator doors shut.  _"My father was right about you."_  The words ran on repeat in her mind, puzzling Felicity to no end. But as much as she wanted to figure out what his angle was, she still had her evening obligations to attend to.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Queen, but I can't," Felicity finally replied. "I have plans tonight."

"Oh, then I'm sorry for keeping you," he quickly apologized. "Boyfriend waiting?"

"God, no. Haven't had one of those in ages," she replied before pursing her lips and squeezing her eyes shut. She just couldn't turn her mouth off that night. "And again, I'm sharing too much information, so I'd better just… go."

"Maybe another time, then?" Oliver asked.

"Maybe," she halfheartedly replied. All Felicity wanted to do was get out of there as quickly as possible. It felt strange having her boss ask her out to dinner after meeting her only once. Turning again, she finally managed to get to the elevator and pressed the down button.

A stop to her office allowed her to pick up her things before heading down into the parking garage. Felicity rushed home and quickly changed out of her pink dress shirt and gray pencil skirt, throwing on her evening attire before rushing back out again. Running even ten minutes late was unacceptable to her clients, so she floored it all the way to her destination:  _Verdant_.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some very strong sexual tones, some of which may make you uncomfortable. Discretion is advised.

She always came through the back entrance, keying in her code before slipping off her coat and hanging it on the rack running the length of the wall. Her next stop was the manager's office at the end of the long hallway. "Hey, Helena," she always greeted her boss the same way with a detached smile on her blood red lips and a little wave before turning to head down the corridor.

Verdant was a nightclub with a secret that only a privileged few knew. Upstairs was a place the young crowd could get drunk and have a good time dancing the night away. Downstairs was a whole other world, one that had only been whispered about until she'd become part of the staff. It was a playground for the idle rich to spend as they pleased, partaking in some of their deepest, darkest fantasies.

Sighing, Felicity strode into one of the many dressing rooms to slip into whatever her first client wanted her to be. Some days it was a French maid, others, a sexy nurse. There were those few odd balls that wanted her decked out in 18th century corset dresses, but they were few and far between. Either way, her outfit would still end up in a rumpled heap on the floor by the end of the night.

Just as she perused the racks, searching for an outfit with her name on it, her boss stepped into the room and called her name. Felicity turned, her eyes settling on the raven-haired vixen that stood before her in a tight black bandage dress that hugged her curves with a plunging neckline that left very little to the imagination.

Helena Bertinelli was an imposing woman, her hair always hanging around her shoulders with lips so dark they looked almost black against her pale skin and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right into a person's soul. It was all for show, though. On the inside, she was a warmer person, carrying the weight of personal tragedy much like everyone else who worked in the basement of Verdant, Felicity included.

"You've got a new client tonight with a very special request," Helena said, "so you won't find an outfit out here. I had to get it special ordered, but he was willing to pay."

"Great," Felicity couldn't keep the disdain out of her voice as she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Gotta love the weird ones."

"This one might just take the cake, though."

Felicity cocked her head to the side, but followed her boss out of the dressing room towards the office she'd passed not a few minutes earlier. When Helena opened the door, she paused for a moment at the threshold to simply stare at the costume hanging on the opposite wall.

"Seriously?" Felicity deadpanned. The costume was a black leather bustier and panty set with black fishnet stockings, black leather gloves with the fingertips cut off, and a headband with kitten ears. But what really caught her attention was the furry black tail. "Catwoman?"

"It's not the weirdest thing I've seen, but it ranks up there," Helena replied. She went to retrieve the costume and handed it to Felicity. "There's a hole in the back of the panties where you can put in the tail."

It left her befuddled for a moment before it dawned on her what Helena actually meant. "The tail is a butt plug?" Felicity grumbled.

"Don't forget the mask and the wig." Helena forced a smile as she handed everything to her employee. "Don't worry, everyone gets one of these odd balls from time to time. Hell, I've had my fair share before getting out of the game." Seeing the hesitation on Felicity's face, she added, "Look, I know you're only doing this for the money. Almost everyone who works here is doing it for that same reason. But you're one of the lucky few who know how to make people happy, and that's what brings in the big bucks. Hopefully in another year or two, you'll make enough and get out."

"I was just really hoping my exploits in Vegas wouldn't come back to bite me in the ass, but I guess you can never really escape from your past," Felicity sighed.

The older woman put her hands on her shoulders and stared at her with those piercing blue eyes. "You are not defined by your past. You're using it to your advantage. So chin up, buttercup," Helena replied, giving her ass a little smack as Felicity turned to leave. "You'll do great tonight, like you always do."

It was the pep talk she needed before heading back into the dressing room and changing into her custom made outfit. Looking at herself in the full length mirror, Felicity forced a smile onto her face. As much as she hated this second job, it made far more money than being an assistant manager in Queen Consolidated's I.T. department. Another two years separated her from financial freedom, according to her math.

Strutting out of the dressing room in five inch high black patent leather stilettos looking and feeling like the vixen she knew she was, Felicity held her head up high, prowling down the dimly lit corridor that lead to the main lounge where she'd wait to meet her client. The interior was reminiscent of an old social club from the early part of the twentieth century with antique chandeliers hanging from ceilings paneled in exotic the furniture was made from plush leather in shades of red and black.

In the corner stood a ornate wood paneled bar, also decked out with comfortable leather seats and top notch liquor. Several small groups of people wearing a wide variety of masks that concealed their identities milled around, sipping from wine glasses or champagne flutes. Felicity made a beeline for her favorite wingback leather chair, but when she tried to take a seat, her furry black tail made it uncomfortable to sit. Instead, she chose the chaise lounger against the wall, her body draped over it with her tail resting against her exposed thigh for all to see.

Barely five minutes passed before a gentleman wearing a charcoal suit and a black mask that outline his eyes strode up to her. He was tall and handsome with a thick crop of brown hair and a lean build. Definitely her type if he wasn't down here looking to play out a fantasy.

"You must be Megan," he said, his voice rich and deep like fine chocolate as he continued to stand in front of her while she gazed up at him with a coy smile.

"I'm whoever you want me to be," Felicity smoothly replied as she held out her hand. He took it immediately, helping her to her feet. Linking her arm with his, she led them away from the main lounge toward the private rooms in the back. Several were already occupied for the evening and they could hear the faint moans and other sounds emanating through the thick walls.

Reaching the black painted door marked "Megan Haze," Felicity grabbed the antique glass knob and turned, then used her shoulder to push it open. Inside was an ornately carved French bed painted black and covered in dark purple satin sheets. The rest of the room was painted the same dark purple color with white crown molding and accented with more ornately carved black furniture including two nightstands, a dressing table, and a mirror. From the ceiling hung a crystal chandelier much like the ones in the main lounge that threw light across the room in tiny little streaks.

Felicity had chosen the room for the mere fact that it was nothing like the person she was today and more like the person she used to be, the person she portrayed down in this basement. She went through a rebellious goth phase in college, one she grew out of quickly. Using that as the inspiration for her Verdant character helped her compartmentalize what she did during the day and what she did at night.

Now, as she led her client towards the freshly cleaned sheets, Felicity paused and turned to face him. "So, who would you like me to be?" she asked, lowering her voice an octave to make it sound more sultry than it was.

"My kitten," he replied.

"And who would you like to be?"

"You can call me… Master."

"Yes, Master," Felicity said, coy smile still playing on her face. He leaned down intending to kiss her, but before their lips touched, her hand pressed firmly against his chest. "Ah-ah!" she admonished. "Ground rules first."

He tipped his head in agreement, their eyes meeting, azure to crystalline blue, and he allowed her to speak.

"First and most importantly, no means no; something you already agreed to when you signed the contract at the door. If you do not abide by that rule, I will have you escorted out immediately and you will not be invited back. Understood?" He nodded. "Second rule: safe words. My preferences are green ('Harder, faster!'), yellow ('Stop what you're doing, I need a break, come check in with me'), and red ('Stop everything now, scene over'). I expect you to abide by those rules as well." Again, he nodded. "Third rule: protection. Although you've already been pre-screened by Madame Helena for any diseases, I prefer to be safe than sorry when it comes to my health. Condoms are to be worn the moment we begin to engage in intercourse."

"I am behind that policy one hundred percent. It's the reason why I chose Verdant," he replied.

It earned him a smile before Felicity continued. "Fourth rule: masks always stay on. Anonymity is key, for your protection and for mine. What happens in this bedroom stays in this bedroom."

"Yet another reason why I chose this place. Madame Helena made anonymity very clear and I appreciate that."

This time Felicity nodded. "Final rule," she continued, her smile turning into a full blown grin as she grabbed his blood red tie and pulled him down so they were a breath apart. "Have fun. You are allowed to do as you wish just so long as you abide by the rules. Understood?"

"Understood," he replied with a glowing smile of his own.

"Good, then let the fun begin," Felicity said as she tipped her head up and rose on her toes so she could seal the deal with a kiss. His hands surrounded her waist, holding her against his chest as he devoured her mouth before letting her go. Licking her lips, she gazed up at him from beneath her long lashes and asked, "So, what is Master's first request for the night?"

"I want you to get on your knees and take off my pants," he ordered.

"Yes, Master." Felicity knew the routine all too well. She'd been with men and women like him countless times before. They usually commanded her to do certain things before they had their way with her. Sometimes they'd smack her around for a bit, but they almost always followed the same pattern. Tonight looked to be another ordinary night at the club.

Kneeling down in front of him, her hands grazed up his thighs, adding just a touch of eroticism before her fingers took hold of his belt buckle and began to pull it open. His hands landed in the dark locks of her black wig, which she'd done a very good job of securing just in case he liked hair-pulling. They tugged slightly, forcing her to look up at him as she slid down the zipper of his pants. A smile tugged at her lips as her fingers slipped into the belt loops and slowly pulled the fabric down his lean legs.

"Good girl," her murmured, pulling her hair and tugging her back to her feet. He stepped out of his pants, leaving him in a pair of black briefs, his suit coat, and his dress shirt. Felicity could clearly see the outline of his hardening erection through his underwear and unconsciously licked her lips.

"You're a little cock whore, aren't you, my kitten?" he asked, a smirk appearing on his handsome face. She smiled, but when she didn't reply, he slapped her across the cheek with his free hand. It wasn't uncommon in these types of fantasies, but Felicity hadn't been expecting it. She quickly nodded her head only to get smacked again. "Speak when your Master asks you a question," he commanded, his voice growing cold and angry.

"Yes, Master," she all but whimpered her answer.

"Good girl," he growled, "now open your mouth."

Felicity did as she was told. Her lips parted and within seconds, his cock was pulled from his underwear and shoved into her mouth. Grabbing a fistful of her hair, he began thrusting in and out. Her lips wrapped around him tightly as she reached up to grab his thighs for support. With each thrust he went deeper, his pace quickening. Felicity did her best to keep up, hollowing out her cheeks in an attempt to push him to the edge as fast as possible.

But he kept going, unperturbed by her gags when he pushed too deeper. It was getting harder to breathe, but Felicity had trained herself to do this for her clients, no matter how uncomfortable it felt. Just so long as he was enjoying himself, nothing else really mattered unless it was her safety, and right now she felt relatively okay.

After a few minutes, his thrusts became a little more frantic as a chorus of grunts joined the wet slurping sounds she made with every swivel of his hips. He was getting close. Felicity could feel it, so she took action to help him along. One of her hands reach up to cup his balls, massaging them a little more roughly than she usually would. Something told her he'd appreciate the gesture considering the way he handled her.

With one last powerful jerk of his hips, he groaned loudly as semen burst from his cock, spilling into the back of her throat. Felicity swallowed hard, sucking up every last drop until he was done. As he pulled out of her mouth, her tongue flicked across his tip. A low growl emanated from his chest as a smile crawled across his lips.

"Good kitten," he murmured before grabbing her by the arm and yanking her up off her knees.

At that moment, Felicity knew she was in for a rough night. There had been clients like him in the past that liked to get very physical with her. It was one of her least favorite things, but she put up with it because they were the clients who paid the most. Helena wouldn't have paired her up with this guy otherwise. That was the thing about being the most sought after girl at Verdant: she usually got first dibs on clients and they always paid well, even if they forced her to do things she didn't like.

Throwing her up against the dark purple wall, one of his hands wrapped around her throat while the other slipped beneath her leather panties and began to roughly rub her labia and clit. Felicity dutifully moaned. At least he knew how to turn a girl on. She was getting sufficiently wet, her arousal beginning to drip onto his fingers. He spread it around before pulling his hand from between her thighs.

"Good kitten," he cooed, his hot breath ghosting over her ear. "I like the way your body responds to my teasing. I want your pussy, and I'm going to take it," he growled.

He threw Felicity over the side of the bed, grabbing her panties and shoving them down her fishnet covered legs. The tail plug remained in her ass, but he pushed it aside with his hand so his cock could stroke her wet folds. She got ready to call him out on his violation, but he didn't penetrate her. Instead, he continued to brush himself over her lips, teasing her until her legs began to quiver.

"You want my cock, don't you, my little kitten?" he sneered against her ear.

"Yes, Master!" Felicity cried out when his fingers joined the fray, pushing deep into her hot wetness as he kicked her feet apart.

"Tell me, how bad do you want it?" he murmured, his free hand wrapping around her throat and giving it a squeeze.

"I want it bad, Master! Please give me your cock! Fuck my pussy with it!" She went along with his game, telling him exactly what he wanted to hear.

The hand between her thighs slid to the round cheeks of her butt, stopping when they wrapped around the plug that was still firmly planted in her ass. He toyed with it for a few minutes, pulling it taut until it strained against her tight hole before pressing it back in. Over and over, he pulled it just enough so the bulbous head spread her open then thrust it back in until she began to moan. He was good at bringing her to the brink of pleasure, Felicity had to admit. And she was beginning to enjoy herself.

"What about your ass?" he whispered. "Does your ass want my cock too?"

Felicity nodded, "Yes, Master!"

"Such a greedy kitten," he said, letting go of her neck to wrap the long strands of her wig around his hand. It was pulled so tight her head whipped back and her back bowed almost painfully. "Kitten needs to be taught some patience first. Tell me, kitten, where are your handcuffs?"

"Nightstand, top drawer," Felicity said. She was slapped across the ass, though, and she realized the mistake she'd made.

"Address me properly," he growled, pulling her hair even harder.

"Sorry, Master," she whimpered before he loosened his hold and reached over to pull open the drawer. He rummaged through it for a moment before pulling the silver cuffs out, then secured them over her wrists, making sure they were tight enough to keep her in place for whatever he had in store for her.

"Now, where is your crop?" he asked, letting go of her hair.

Felicity fell forward into her bed and quickly rolled her face to answer, "On the wall rack behind you, Master."

He left for several moments and she craned her head to see what he was doing. Behind her on the dark purple wall beside the door was a white rack displaying all her favorite toys from riding crops to whips, flogs to paddles. He chose a twenty-six inch leather riding crop along with a ball gag that made her eyes widen slightly. None of her new clients had ever been so bold. It was only after they'd established a relationship that she allowed them to go so far with her.

But tonight was different. Something told her this guy was different. He'd surprised her a few times already. Felicity might have been hesitant at first, but she allowed it this one time. As he approached her from behind, he grabbed her hair again and pulled her into a standing position.

"Now, kitten, I have some rules of my own," he said, placing the toys on the bed in front of her. "As you've already found out, disobeying orders will earn you a slap. Disobey twice and I will whip you. If you disobey a third time, I will gag you and you will receive your punishment just like you'll receive my cock: with pleasure. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Master," Felicity obediently replied. She was feeling slightly out of her depth, but she knew she could handle herself. She'd been in far stickier situations than this, and if the guy was paying, he was going to get a show. So like the innocent little girl she was currently trying to portray for him, she waited for his next instructions.

"Lay on your stomach," he commanded.

Felicity did as she was told, letting her upper body drop to the satin sheets with her ass thrust up in the air. His hand stroked across her bottom and began to play with the plug again, this time pulling it out completely before shoving it back in. He brought her to the edge of her first orgasm, causing her to moan loudly as her eyes shut. Then the whip cracked across her cheeks and Felicity let out a sharp yelp.

"You are not allowed to orgasm until I say so," he snarled, smacking her once more across the small of her back to get the point across.

With a yelp and a slight jump, she replied, "Yes, Master." Maybe this was going a little too far, but Felicity kept her mouth shut. A constant loop of "I'm doing this for the money" played in her mind as she waited for his next move. It kept her focused on the task at hand instead of the way she was being treated.

Then he was behind her again, his cock rubbing between her thighs until she moaned. "Kitten is still wet for me. Such a good girl," he whispered against her ear. "You want my cock bad, don't you?"

"Yes, Master," Felicity moaned. Her bound hands reached out, gently stroking his stomach through his shirt.

The whip smacked across the small of her back again, making her cry out in pain. "Did I say you could touch me?" he bellowed, his hand grabbing her hair and yanking her up until her back bowed and pain radiated all along her spinal column.

"I'm sorry, Master," she immediately apologized, but she knew what her punishment would be and immediately regretted what she'd done. He pulled away from her and grabbed the ball gag. Forcing her mouth open with his hand, he shoved it between her lips and secured it behind her head.

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but I told you, disobey me three times and I gag you," he said as he tightened the strap, making sure it was secure. "What a shame. I enjoyed hearing you call me Master. Unfortunately, you've been a bad kitten, and bad kittens must be punished."

It left Felicity completely at his mercy, something she did not like. The only safety measure she had to rely on was the hidden camera in the corner molding of the room focused on the bed. If she held up two fingers, security would come running to her rescue. At the moment, she had yet to feel threatened and decided to let this fantasy play out a little further. Turned on and desperate to get off, she let him continue his game.

Bound and gagged, she listened as he reached over to her nightstand into the bowl of condoms she kept there. Pulling out a foil packet, he tore it open with his teeth, unwrapped the condom, and quickly sheathed his cock with it. With one of her fears alleviated, Felicity relaxed somewhat, but the relief didn't last long.

His hands grabbed her butt cheeks and spread them wide, exposing her completely to him. Before she knew what was happening, his cock rammed deep into her cunt, forcing a startled and painful cry from her throat. It only made him sneer in response as he pulled out and thrust back in with equal force. "That's right, kitten! Take Master's cock. Take it!" he grunted, pounding into her mercilessly.

Hot tears flowed down Felicity's cheeks. There had only been a few times anyone had ever been this rough before, but never had she been gagged, silencing her from speaking out to stop his torture. He'd expertly skirted around her rules that night, a mistake Felicity vowed never to repeat.

She had no choice now but to signal for security to come rescue her from this lunatic. As covertly as possible, she clasped her hands behind her back and placed the middle and forefinger of her left hand on top of her right creating a "v" shape. All Felicity could do now was hope that someone had spotted her signal. She had helped Helena hand pick the team in the security room and knew they were eagle-eyed about these things. Employee safety was their number one priority, otherwise they'd be fired on the spot.

The man on top of her continued his torturous pounding, his hips slapping against hers so hard that she felt intense pain radiate throughout her body. He pulled her hair even harder as he wrapped his other hand around her throat and squeezed until it became hard to breathe. Felicity wheezed and groaned behind her gag, hoping he'd get the hint that he was hurting her, but his pace didn't slow. If anything, he sped up, his body wildly bucking against hers.

On the verge of blacking out from the lack of oxygen, Felicity sent out one more signal to security, this time a little more obvious than the last. The man pounding into her noticed and quickly grabbed the chain that linked her handcuffs together, pulling her hands apart and forcing her into a standing position.

"What do you think you're doing, you dirty whore?" he growled against her ear, the hand around her neck tightening until she started to gasp for breath. "I paid a fortune for my night with you and you're going to deliver!"

His fingers dug into her skin, crushing her throat beneath them. Fear and panic gripped Felicity like never before and she silently prayed someone was coming to save her. As the seconds ticked by, he became increasingly violent with her. The hand that wasn't around her neck delivered slap after painful slap against her ass.

"That's right, bitch! Take it like the dirty little whore you are!" he grunted, his hips continuing their punishing pace. He pulled out suddenly and turned her so she lay on her back. His cock thrust into her at an awkward angle, forcing a strangled cry from behind her gag. The pain it sent through her body didn't dissipate when his hand returned to her neck, pinning her down as the other one slapped her face over and over again.

"Yeah, that's what I wanna see," he snarled. "You're scared, aren't you, my little whore? I see the fear in your eyes. You have no idea what I'm going to do to you.. Let's keep you guessing."

The longer this went on, the more frightened Felicity became, and seeing that he knew she was scared, she tried to hide it the best she could. No longer able to signal to the security team that she was in trouble, she knew she'd have to try and defuse the situation herself. But there was no escaping this madman, whose hand remained wrapped on her throat, slowly strangling her. The harder he squeezed, the less oxygen made it into her lungs.

Felicity had never been a fan of sexual choking, and this cemented her reasons why. Dark spots began to appear in her vision. She knew it would only be a matter of seconds before she passed out. Just when she thought she'd lose consciousness, the door to her suite was thrown open and three of the club's burliest bouncers rushed in, followed closely behind by Helena. They wrestled the man off her body even as he flailed wildly and hurtled insults.

Felicity took several deep, gasping breaths as a robe wrapped around her. Never had she been so relieved to see the club bouncers in her life. As they struggled to get the madman out of her room, he continued to yell obscenities at her, at them, at anyone within earshot.

"This isn't over!" he screamed, over and over again as the bouncers dragged him down the hall and out of the club.

"Let's get all this stuff off you," Helena said as she helped Felicity into a sitting position then reached up to gently undo the strap of the ball gag, pulling it away from Felicity's mouth.

She was finally able to take a deep, shuddering breath as Helena focused her attention on the handcuffs. They were quickly unlocked with the spare key she kept on her keyring and throw haphazardly onto the purple satin sheets.

With her hands now free, Felicity pulled them in front of her, rubbing her wrists where they'd dug into her skin. She then tugged the sleeves of her robe over her arms and tightened it around her body. For several minutes they silently sat there as Felicity caught her breath.

The bed shifted slightly, Helena moving a little closer to her as her hand wound around her waist in a comforting gesture. "You okay?" she softly asked, her hand rubbing down the younger woman's back.

"Yeah, just a little… shaken up," Felicity replied, her voice coming out more unsure than she would have liked.

"I'm so sorry... If I had known that was going to happen…"

"It's not your fault," Felicity was quick to admonish her of any blame for this. "You couldn't have known he would turn into such a psycho."

"But still... It's my job to protect the people who work in my club, and I failed you." Her guilty tone said it all. She really did feel responsible for what happened that night.

"Look, Helena, you didn't fail anyone," Felicity said as she reached over and took her hand. "Bad things will happen every once in a while. You're not responsible for all of them. Besides, you know this isn't the first time it's happened to me. It probably won't be the last either."

Helena gently stroked her back and shoulders. A long, silent pause fell between them before she asked, "Why don't you take the rest of the night off?"

"You know I can't," Felicity replied, intending to finish her shift that night and go home around midnight as she usually did.

"No, please, I want you to." Helena insisted. "I'll even make sure you get more than fifty percent of the money from tonight's debacle. It's the least I can do."

Felicity gave pause for a moment. She could use the extra sleep and some time to think after what happened tonight. There had only been three incidents prior to this one where a client had gotten out of control with her. Only one had been at Verdant. The others had happened back in Vegas and Boston. Although each incident had been harrowing, Felicity tended to bounce back quickly. She'd been through a fair amount of tragedy in her short life to let something like this get to her.

"Maybe a breather isn't such a bad idea," she said with a weary smile. "Besides, this tail is turning into a literal pain in my ass."

Both women laughed despite the circumstances as Felicity stood up and eased the plug out from where it was still nestled inside her. It was thrown on the bed without a second thought.

"Come on," Helena said. "Let's get you out of that costume and headed home."

Felicity nodded and they walked out of her suite back towards the dressing rooms. "Just out of curiosity," she said, glancing over at her boss, "how much did that guy pay for tonight?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Helena replied with a half smile.

Cocking her head to the side and putting a hand to her hip, Felicity said, "Try me."

They paused at the door to Helena's office. "A hundred grand."

Felicity's jaw dropped as her eyes popped open. "A hundred thousand dollars?" she stuttered. Most of the time, their high end clients would be upwards of ten to fifteen thousand dollars, but a hundred? Felicity couldn't wrap her head around it. "Wha…? I… Why me? Sin's been doing this for far longer than I have. She should have gotten first dibs."

"He wanted someone kinky, and you know she doesn't do kink quite the way you do."

"Still…" Felicity tried to argue as they moved into the office and shut the door behind them.

"And maybe because I don't want to see you here for longer than you have to be," Helena admitted. "You're a certified genius. You should be doing amazing things with your life that don't involve selling your body to the highest bidder at night. And yes, I know your student loans are astronomical, but I still think you can do way better than this," she added, motioning to the room around her. It looked like a study one would find in an old mansion, full of mahogany paneled walls and damask wallpaper in alternating shades of green. The desk was also made of mahogany and looked to have once belonged to a business man.

"But I'm good at it," Felicity meekly replied.

"You're far better with computers, though, and that's what I want to see you working on, not some douche bag who has to hire women for sex. You're so much better than this, Felicity, and I know some day, hopefully soon, a door is going to open for you that'll get you out of this mess once and for all. You just need to keep looking."

Felicity threw her arms around her boss, giving her a big hug before letting go. "Thanks, Helena," she said.

"Now go," the older woman replied, holding her at an arm's length once they pulled away from each other. "Eat a pint of that mint chip ice cream I know you keep in your freezer. You deserve it tonight."

A smile found its way to Felicity's lips before she turned and headed for the dressing room. Slipping out of the remainder of her costume, she threw it into the hamper in the corner and put on the sweats and hoodie she'd walked in with before grabbing her purse. A few minutes later, she was striding past Helena's office when she heard her name being called.

"What's up?" Felicity asked, stopping at the door.

"I'm having Roy escort you to your car," Helena said. When she saw Felicity furrow her brows, getting ready to argue with her, she added, "For my peace of mind, please. I just want to make sure you get home safe. Please?"

"Ugh, fine," Felicity sighed. She headed toward the back entrance to find the club's newest bouncer, a kid by the name of Roy Harper, standing there waiting for her. He was tall with a lean yet muscular build and sharp blue eyes. She liked Roy because he was kind and funny, always bantering with her whenever there was a lull in activity. He might not have been genius smart, but he was street smart and snarky, something she found entertaining.

"Hey, Megan," he greeted as he opened the door for her. It was standard practice for club employees to call the girls by the names they'd chosen for their personas. Only Helena ever called her by her real name, and that was always behind closed doors. Roy had only ever known her as Megan. "You okay? I heard some creeper tried to hurt you tonight."

"I'm fine. He was nothing I couldn't handle," she replied with a weary smile. "Besides, security got him away from me before anything bad could happen."

"I'm just glad you're okay," he said, his hand finding its way to the center of her back as they wove through the cars parked in the employee lot. "Because if you weren't, I would have personally found the guy and kicked his ass myself."

Felicity couldn't help but laugh as they reached her little red Mini. "Oh, Roy… You're such a sweetheart," she said, rising to the tips of her toes to peck him on the cheek. "Tell Helena I'll be fine and I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Will do," he replied, holding open her door until she got inside and started the engine. "Good night, Megan," he added before shutting it.

"Night, Roy!" she bid her farewell and let him close the door. Then she was off, headed home for a rare early night before starting the routine all over again the following morning.


	3. Chapter 3

"You did a fantastic job yesterday, Miss Smoak," Ed wrapped up their meeting in his office with the compliment after Felicity had given him a rundown of what had happened the previous day. He still sounded a little stuffed up, but at least he didn't have the hacking cough he'd had several days prior to his absence, she noted.

"Thank you, Ed," she politely replied.

"The executives raved about your performance," he added, giving her a jovial smile, one that lit up his pudgy face and made him look like a younger version of Santa, minus the beard. "Especially from the big man himself. Mr. Queen dropped by earlier this morning to see you about his laptop, but you hadn't come in yet. I told him I'd send you up once you were here, but he said he'd come back later."

"Oh," Felicity breathed, her eyes going wide with shock and surprise. 'Well, that was unexpected,' she thought considering what had happened the previous night. Dread suddenly flooded through her. 'What if he'd come by to ask me to keep quiet?' Trying to keep her inner turmoil at bay, she politely smiled at Ed and said, "That's… nice."

"Good work, yesterday," he complimented again. "I'll make sure to note that on your file so that when your next performance review comes up, H.R. knows to give you a bonus for all your hard work."

That brought a genuine smile to her face. Maybe Helena was right. Maybe she was finally finding that open door she needed in order to get out of the mess she was in. And it didn't hurt to be on her boss's good side either. After a day like yesterday, Felicity knew she deserved a little recognition even if she didn't expect it. It felt good hearing Ed praise her efforts. She was a valuable member of the I.T. staff and it was about time someone noticed it.

"Thank you," Felicity said.

"I'll let you get to work now. There's a big pile of parts that need to be sorted, fixed, cleaned, and catalogued on a cart inside your office. Have at it, kiddo. I know how much you love getting your hands dirty," Ed replied.

She nodded and stood up, stepping out of his office and out onto the I.T. floor where she used to work in one of the small cubicles. Felicity had to admit, getting her own office had probably been the best thing that had happened to her at Queen Consolidated. Unfortunately, her reputation had taken a hit in the process judging by all the office gossip she'd overheard in the break room. It had died down in recent months now that Robert Queen had retired, but something would inevitably pop up every once in a while.

It all came back to her in one form or another, but this time, she experienced it firsthand and straight from the horse's mouth.

"I heard Oliver Queen himself came looking for her this morning. And from what Marci said, he looked pretty pissed. I bet she screwed up his computer and he came down to fire her personally," Carrie's stage whisper hit her ears the second Felicity passed the break room.

She stopped in her tracks, stepping backwards to listen to what else they had to say about Oliver Queen's visit to the I.T. department that morning. Of course it was complete and utter bullshit, but word traveled fast, especially when Carrie was involved.

Having been hired only a month prior to Felicity, Carrie had been around to watch her climb the corporate ladder using her merits instead of her cleavage. It was that simple fact that put Felicity on her shit list, and every chance Carrie got to pull her name through the mud, she'd taken it. Today was no exception. Hell, Felicity had expected it, but that didn't ease the sting of actually hearing the words come out of her mouth.

Instead of confronting her about it, Felicity decided to be the bigger person. She squared her shoulders and began walking away until she heard Carrie add, "That'll teach her for being the office slut. I mean, c'mon. How else do you think she got that promotion? She had to be sucking his daddy's dick. I bet when she refused to suck his, Oliver got pissed. Why else would he come personally looking for her?"

"Maybe because I know how to do my job?" Felicity finally spoke up from the doorway. Employees quickly scattered to all corners of the room. She strode in to where Carrie stood stock still by the coffee pot, arms crossed over her chest. They stared each other down for several moments, eyes narrowed, waiting to see who would back down first.

Felicity was never one to cower in a battle of wills. She always had her opponents beat even before stepping into the ring. When Carrie finally looked away, Felicity smiled, straightening up and turning to walk away. "By the way," she said just before exiting the break room, "next time you decide to talk about someone behind their back, better make sure you're not being recorded by security cameras with microphones." She nodded up at the camera in the corner with a satisfied smirk when the look of horror filled Carrie's eyes.

It was nice getting a little revenge for all the hell the fiery redhead had put her through. Walking back into her office with a smile on her face, Felicity shut the door behind her and sagged against it. There were only a handful of times she had ever confronted anyone that was bullying her, but none had been more satisfying than today.

Pushing off the frosted glass, Felicity took a seat behind her desk and dove head first into the pile of computer parts she needed to work through that day. With Ed fielding all the calls she had taken the previous morning, it left her to work on the backlog of computers she needed to fix. It was a hell of a lot better than scurrying around the building dealing with executives and people who barely knew how to use the internet.

She was happy in her little office, surrounded by motherboards and hard drives, taking things apart and putting things back together. Although Felicity preferred coding, the mental acuity needed in order to create a new piece of tech was just as high. Every once in a while, she challenged herself by doing something unusual, like replacing parts of one motherboard with another to see if the computer would run any faster or more efficiently.

Today, though, she had the casing from Oliver's latte-ruined laptop to clean and refurbish before putting it back in circulation for another employee to use. The sticky liquid was a bitch to clean off the keys and the interior of the casing, but by some miracle it hadn't touched any of the important components. Toiling away with a spray can of compressed air and her own specially concocted cleaning solution, Felicity managed to unstick all the keys after an hour. All she had left to do was wipe away the residue inside the case and she could put new parts in.

The swish of her door opening and closing let her know Ed was probably dropping off yet another piece of tech for her to fix. "You can just leave it on the cart with the others. I'll take care of it when I'm done with this one," Felicity said without bothering to look up from her current project, the red screw driver in her mouth making it slightly difficult to understand what she was saying.

"Actually, I was hoping to speak to you about my laptop," another man's voice replied and her head instantly shot up.

"Mr. Queen!" she squeaked, the screw driver dropping out of her mouth and clanging against the pile of parts she'd finished cleaning earlier.

"You really need to stop calling me that," Oliver said, a smile lighting up his face and making her heart immediately begin to flutter in her chest. "It makes me feel old."

"I'm sorry, Mr… I mean, Oliver." The name rolled off her tongue like silk as she stood up from her seat, smoothing out the cream pencil skirt she'd worn that day. It was paired with a chocolate v-neck cardigan and her favorite camel and red rose printed scarf, which served the purpose of hiding the the dark, finger-shaped bruises around her neck from the previous night while still looking fashionable.

Shaking her head slightly to break her daze, Felicity asked, "What can I do for you?"

"I wanted to thank you for fixing it so fast last night," Oliver said. "Although I was slightly surprised to see it wasn't the same computer I gave you yesterday."

"And you'd be correct," she replied. "I gutted your old laptop," she gestured to the parts now laying on her desk, "and put the motherboard and hard drive into a new, more latte-resistant casing just in case you decided to drink another cup of Starbucks next to it."

"You got something like that for my phone?" he quipped.

"It's called an OtterBox. Although, if you're looking to actually waterproof your phone, there is water repellant nanotechnology on the market that's sprayed onto the phone and once it's baked in, not only is it waterproof, but also oil proof," Felicity rambled. "And that was far more information than you probably needed to know," she added, her face taking on a bright shade of pink as she pursed her lips and looked away.

He paused to study her, eyes narrowed and staring at her face. For a moment, Felicity thought her scarf had fallen off her neck, exposing the bruises, which she'd tried to cover with makeup until she realized it wasn't going to work. The stage makeup she usually used to cover bruises from wild nights with clients was at the club. Her hand went to readjust it, tightening the knot around her throat.

"You really are the tech genius my father told me you would be," Oliver finally said, his damn smile making her knees go weak as her face began turning deeper shades of pink. The longer he stared at her with those piercing eyes, the darker her cheeks flushed. "Tell me, how long have you been working for Queen Consolidated?"

"Um…" Felicity stuttered, trying to remember how to speak. "A little over three years now."

"And is this all you do?" Oliver gestured towards the pile of computer parts on her desk.

"No, I do some coding and update the server firewalls when I'm not busy putting computers together or running around fixing things," Felicity answered.

"So why does someone who ranked second in the National Informative Technology Competition at age 19 and who graduated MIT a with Master's Degree in Cyber Security and Computer Sciences work as a lowly assistant manager in my company's I.T. department?" he questioned, cocking his head to the side as he continued to stare at her.

Felicity blinked at him. "Have you been reading my resume?" she shot back. If there was an award for poker faces, Oliver Queen would probably win it. He stood so stoic that she couldn't get a read on him.

"As a matter of fact," Oliver said, pulling his cell phone out of the pocket of his fine black Italian suit and scrolling through something he had saved on it. "I have it right here." He turned the screen toward her so she could see what he was looking at.

Felicity's mouth dropped when she saw her photo, her name, and all her personal data displayed on the small device. Her face paled when he continued to read off information.

"It says here you come from a very harsh background. Your father left at the tender age of seven. Your mother is a cocktail waitress from Vegas, and even though you managed to receive plenty of scholarships, you're still up to your eyeballs in debt and trying to make ends meet however possible, even if it's not exactly legal."

Felicity felt her blood run cold. She'd done everything in her power to keep that information as private as possible, yet Oliver had somehow sniffed it out. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly as she stared at him with wide, crystalline eyes.

"My father told me to keep a close eye on you, that you were the next rising star in the company. It was one of the few things he asked of me when I took over for him, so naturally, I decided to do a little digging." Oliver began scrolling through his phone again. He scanned through another document before his eyes found hers again.

Felicity stood deathly still. Usually, she'd be fidgeting with something by now: a button on her cardigan or an errant string hanging from her pencil skirt. But she was too terrified to move. Oliver had more than just her H.R. file in his hands. It looked like he might have her entire life story.

His blue eyes bore into her revealing nothing of his intentions. "You got kicked out of the Mirage at sixteen for not only possessing a fake ID, but for counting cards at the poker tables. At MIT, you had a penchant for hacking and creating mischief, but nothing that would get you expelled. Your boyfriend, on the other hand..."

"Please don't," Felicity whispered. An errant tear rolled down her cheek, betraying her stoic stance. It was the one thing in her past that caused her unfathomable pain that continued through this day. She was in no mood to talk about what had happened to her ex while they were at MIT. If anything, she wanted to leave that part of her past where it was: hidden and forgotten.

Felicity reached up, quickly wiping away the moisture that gathered beneath her eyes with her hand before he could see, but Oliver had already noticed. His face immediately softened as he put his phone back into his pocket and grabbed a handkerchief. "I'm sorry. I… I didn't mean to hurt you," he said, handing her the little white square of linen so she could wipe her eyes.

Staring at it for a moment, Felicity was hesitant to take it, but he insisted, folding it into the palm of her hand before she could say no. His fingers were warm, the pads calloused against her delicate skin. Wherever he touched her, she felt little electric sparks rushing up her arm.

"I really don't like to talk about that part of my past, especially with someone I don't know, even if you are my boss. I am politely asking you to respect my privacy on the matter and never bring it up again," Felicity said, her voice growing bolder than it had been only a few moments ago. She dabbed away the tears that clung to her lashes, pushing her glasses to the top of her head so she wouldn't smear anything on the lenses.

"Consider it forgotten," Oliver replied, giving her a soft smile as his hand reached up to give her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I am sorry for bringing that up. I didn't know it would hurt you. Can I buy you a cup of coffee for any trouble I might have caused you? It's the least I can do."

He seemed sincere. Felicity could see it in his eyes as she slid her glasses back onto her nose. Oliver really wasn't trying to be the bad guy. He was doing his due diligence. She only prayed he wouldn't uncover the other unsavory things she'd done in her life, especially her night life.

"I… wouldn't... mind... a cup of coffee," Felicity said, figuring it would be a great way to try and scope out why he was being so nosy. Was he trying to further her career or was he trying to get in her pants? She hoped for the former even though her inner bad girl wouldn't mind the latter. Oliver Queen looked like he could be a fun time between the sheets. She quickly banished those thoughts, remembering what Carrie had said earlier that morning.

His smile turned up in wattage, brightening his face and quite possibly the room as well. Damn, he had such a nice smile. And it was contagious too, considering one was slowly beginning to appear on her lips as well.

When his fingers began to trail down the back of her arm, Felicity realized he hadn't taken his hand off her shoulder since he put it there. That electricity she'd felt earlier returned, and her heart fluttered in her chest once more. It was a sensation she'd never felt before, and it terrified and excited her all at once. Whatever it was about Oliver had her body responding in ways she'd never seen before.

He nudged her forward as he said, "I hope right now is okay because you look like you could use a break."

"Oh, I… um... " Felicity hesitated for a moment. She hadn't taken a break at all that morning and a cup of coffee really did sound good right now. "Okay," she replied before losing her courage.

Oliver seemed pleased with himself, judging by the smile on his face. As she stepped away from her desk, his hand fell from where it had come to rest against her elbow to the small of her back where it hovered about an inch away from her shirt. The warmth that radiated from his palm wasn't lost on Felicity. It made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end in a very pleasant way. And she liked it.

Thinking back to the last time someone had been this gentle with her, she found she couldn't recall anyone from recent history. Honestly, it felt nice. Being in the presence of a gentleman who seemed to value her mind over her body was an all too unfamiliar sensation that she realized she craved now more than ever.

It seemed like Helena's advice had resonated ever since she walked into the office that morning. First with Ed and now with Oliver. Maybe he was the man to hold that door open for her just like he was holding open the door to her office right now. But Felicity refused to get her hopes up. She'd already been burned her fair share of times in the past. She didn't want to add Oliver Queen to that list.

Together they walked out of her office through the I.T. department, past the cubicles of the people who had been gossiping behind her back that morning. Felicity noted their shocked expressions as she and Oliver walked by each one until they reached Carrie's at the end. She wasn't seated at her desk. Instead, she stood putting away paperwork into one of her filing cabinets.

As Felicity walked past her, Carrie's eyes drifted to Oliver, who stood half a step behind her. His eyes were focused on Felicity and that warm smile he'd been giving her since he'd stepped into her office that morning remained in place, something the other woman didn't fail to notice as her jaw went slack.

"Mr. Queen! What a pleasant surprise!" Carrie said before they left the cube farm.

It was hard to resist the urge to roll her eyes, but Felicity somehow managed, and without cringing to boot. She felt Oliver stiffen beside her, his eyes flitting toward the woman who had interrupted them. He didn't look pleased, but also didn't let his displeasure show for more than just a moment.

"I'm sorry. You are…?" he asked, boosting Felicity's ego tenfold.

"Carrie," she said, her smile faltering. "Carrie Cutter."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Cutter," Oliver politely replied as he extended his hand in greeting.

Felicity could tell he was doing it out of habit from the tension that seemed to roll off his shoulders in waves as they shook hands.

"So, what brings you to the I.T. department? Having trouble with your computer?" Carrie continued.

"Not since Felicity fixed it," Oliver said with a smile as he looked down at her. The fluttering in Felicity's stomach returned, but she didn't dare show it. Instead, she smiled up at him politely before her eyes settled back on Carrie. "Now, if you'll excuse me, we really must get going. I have a lot to discuss with Miss Smoak."

And that was it. He dismissed Carrie without a second thought, his hand gently tugging Felicity's elbow, urging her to move with him. It was even harder to hide the smirk that came over her face, so she stopped trying. Giving Carrie a little wave, she followed Oliver toward the frosted glass doors. His hand sank to the small of her back, hovering there again without making contact.

Ed's door was the last one they passed, and when she paused for a moment to let him know she was taking a break, Oliver's hand accidentally touched her, causing Felicity to jump slightly and squeak as she winced. It was the spot the crop had come down the night before, leaving a deep welt she hadn't noticed until she'd gotten home.

Oliver quickly pulled his hand away, his apology written all over his face. He was about to voice it when she put her hand on his forearm and interrupted him. "Let's go get that cup of coffee," Felicity said, and they continued on their way, stopping at the elevator until its doors opened for them.

"Are you okay?" Oliver asked once they were alone in the enclosed space.

"I'm fine," Felicity replied with a forced smile. "You just startled me." It wasn't exactly a lie. He had startled her, just not in the way she was willing to admit. Thankfully, Oliver decided to drop it and soon the elevator doors opened to the lobby.

They made their way out of the building and to the small coffee shop across the street that was just emptying out of the breakfast crowd. There were still a few executives lingering about reading their papers, but for the most part, the cafe was quiet and cozy, just how Felicity liked it. She and Oliver placed their order with the barista then found a table in the far back away from prying eyes.

Their coffee was delivered not even a few moments after they'd sat down, along with a plate of pastries and some cream and sugar. Felicity was about to tell the woman they hadn't ordered this, but Oliver put up his hand. "My treat," he replied to her unanswered question.

"You really didn't have to," Felicity said, but she still picked up a glazed donut and took a bite before sipping her large black coffee.

"It was nothing, really," Oliver dismissed the argument with a wave of his hand. "Besides, coffee always tastes better with something sweet."

She nodded her head in agreement, taking another sip of her coffee before putting it back down on the table. "I like this place. They have a great selection of pastries, especially for those of us with allergies who can't enjoy certain things," Felicity said.

"Allergies?"

"Yeah, I'm allergic to nuts."

Oliver nodded, sipping at his coffee. "I'll make sure to keep that in mind the next time I order food around you."

She cocked her head to the side and stared at him for a minute. He stared back, an enigmatic smile playing on his lips. It made Felicity wonder what he was thinking.

"What's your game, Oliver Queen?" she finally asked, staring him straight in the eye. It was his turn to cock his head, brows knit together in confusion. Or was it worry? Felicity couldn't tell, but she continued. "Last night, you asked me to dinner after I fixed your laptop. Today, you came into my office to continue waxing poetic about my computer skills then tried to put me in a corner by bringing up my past, which, by the way, will continue to be off limits until I say so. What I don't understand is why. Are you genuinely interested in what I have to offer Queen Consolidated or are you just trying to get into my pants?"

Felicity took a long, slow drag of her coffee, savoring the rich flavor before putting the cup back down. It helped to quell her nerves. Outside of the club, she wasn't usually this put together when she talked to people, especially those in higher positions than her own. Hiding behind her coffee cup helped her remain composed even though her insides felt as if they were about to come flying apart. Many times in the past, she'd said things like that unintentionally, but today she was being straightforward, needing her questions answered.

Their eyes met again, and this time Oliver looked intrigued. There was a slight smile playing along the corners of his mouth, something she wouldn't have noticed if she hadn't been paying attention. Felicity grinned and asked, "So, which one is it, Mr. Queen?"

"I am genuinely interested in what you have to offer Queen Consolidated," he said after a beat of silence passed between them. "My father said you were a genius and you proved that to me last night when you fixed my laptop in record time." Oliver paused again, took another sip of his coffee, then put his cup down to stare at her for several more heated moments.

This time his eyes darkened, setting Felicity's whole body on fire when she realized that look had all the earmarks of lust and passion. He wanted her, but was he willing to admit it?

"As for getting into your pants," he said, and without breaking eye contact, his hand reached out so the calloused pad of his thumb could stroke over the exposed skin of her wrist. It sent a shiver down her spine, one she couldn't tamp down no matter how hard she tried. This bordered on sexual harassment, but Felicity couldn't bring herself to stop him. His gaze held more power over her than she could have ever imagined. "I'm not sure if I can answer that honestly... yet," he finally added.

But then Oliver looked down and his eyes went wide. "Where did you get these bruises?" he asked, taking her hand and examining it.

Felicity quickly pulled away, tugging the sleeve of her cardigan down to cover her wrist and unintentionally exposing her neck in the process. His eyes widened even further and she instantly knew she needed to get out of there and back to her office before Oliver decided to keep asking her questions.

"I've been gone for too long and I need to get back to work," Felicity said as she grabbed her cup and jumped out of her chair before he even had time to react. "Thank you... for the coffee." And with that she was sprinting out of the coffee shop leaving behind a confused and concerned Oliver Queen. Something told her he'd be stopping by her office again. When, she didn't know.


	4. Chapter 4

Oliver hadn't returned to her office that afternoon, much to Felicity's surprise and relief. But it left her feeling unsettled. She felt guilty for leaving him the way she had. His concern for her well being had been written all over his face, and it broke her heart. The only other people that had ever looked at her that way were her mother, which was a given, and Helena, because she owned Verdant and it was her responsibility to make sure her staff was treated properly.

No, Oliver was different. He barely knew her, yet the care and concern he showed toward her was unprecedented. After only two meetings, he was already far more invested than any of her exes had been. Did it have anything to do with his father? He'd mentioned Robert several times, but had never gone into detail.

That unsettling feeling continued on through the afternoon, well past lunch, to the point where Felicity couldn't concentrate on the pile of computer parts in front of her. She began to do a little digging of her own, but didn't find much.

_Oliver Jonas Queen, born May 16, 1985 to Robert and Moira Queen. Sister: Thea Queen, nine years his junior. Notorious playboy until September 28, 2007 when he lost control of his car and crashed off the Starling City freeway, which killed his best friend, Tommy Merlyn, and left him in a coma for three weeks. After spending six months recovering from various broken bones, Oliver had gone off to college to finish his business degree and received an MBA from Harvard in 2012. Spent two years shadowing his father before gaining control of Queen Consolidated at the beginning of 2014, becoming its youngest CEO to date._

It was all Felicity managed to find at first before turning to the gossip sites. There were mentions of girlfriends past and present, one of which stuck out:  _Sara Lance_ , the woman she'd met the previous night. Ms. Lance turned out to be a formidable woman in her own right. Having served in the military since she was eighteen, she'd finished her last tour two years ago and had settled back into civilian life in Starling City. Now she was head of her own security firm and quickly rising among the ranks of the city's elite. Rumors swirled that she and Oliver had been dating ever since her return in 2012, but the press could find no concrete proof.

Felicity's jaw dropped. If Oliver Queen was dating Sara Lance, then why had he suddenly taken interest in her? She didn't know whether to be intrigued or angered by what had transpired that morning. It confused her, though, and Felicity hated being confused. She contemplated confronting him, but with the clock on her screen reading 4:52PM, there really was no time. Her second job started in a little over three hours and she needed to get ready.

That evening, Felicity's brain turned on auto pilot as she got ready, showering, putting on a fresh coat of makeup, putting on her clothes. Her mind was more focused on Oliver Queen than anything else. He'd already made his intentions clear. First and foremost, he was interested in what she could offer the company. But what had thrown her for a loop was the answer to her question about wanting to sleep with her.

_"I'm not sure if I can answer that honestly... yet."_

As much as she wanted to read into it, Felicity was already almost at the club, so she switched her focus to finding a parking spot and heading inside. Upon exiting her car, a strange feeling came over her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, but it had nothing to do with the chill in the autumn air. She felt as if someone was watching her.

A glance around the parking lot confirmed that Felicity was alone and that none of the club's staff members were out there on a smoke break. She shook it off as her mind playing tricks on her and headed inside.

"Felicity!" she heard Helena call out to her as she passed the office.

"Yeah?" She walked back, pausing at the door.

Helena stood from her chair and grabbed a thick yellow envelope off her desk. "Here," she said, handing it to Felicity. "Last night's cut. I wanted to personally give it to you."

"Uh, Helena, how much is in here?" the blonde asked, feeling its weight in her hand. "I know what fifty grand feels like, and unless you gave it to me in twenties, this feels like way more."

"That's because it is," Helena replied with a smile. "Seventy-five to be exact. I figured you deserved it after last night's… incident."

"Now you're just being way too generous," Felicity handed her back the envelop. "I can't take this! It's too much!"

"Yes, you can. And you will!" Helena shoved the envelope back into her hand, the argument decidedly over before she got a say.

Felicity's eyes darted between her and the yellow package she now held, her mind unable to comprehend what had just happened. She was in shock, to say the least, but grateful. Seventy-five thousand dollars would go a long way in paying off her debts, which was somewhere around four hundred thousand dollars at that point.

Wrapping her arms around Helena, she whispered, "Thank you so much. This means a lot to me."

"I know," Helena replied. "I meant what I said last night. I don't want you here for longer than you have to be. You've got a bright future ahead of you."

"Would you mind holding onto this until the end of the night?" Felicity asked, holding the envelope out to her. "It's way too much money to be leaving in my bag."

"No problem. It'll be in my office along with your take for tonight."

"Speaking of tonight," Felicity said, her mind going back to the cafe that morning and the shock she'd seen in Oliver's eyes when he saw her bruises. It made her cringe all over again. "I'm gonna need some of that stage makeup you use sometimes."

"Why?" Helena asked once she'd put the yellow envelope back into a drawer in her desk.

Pulling down the collar of her coat, Felicity revealed the angry bruises she failed to conceal at home. A look of horror crossed Helena's face when she added, "They're also around my wrists and there's a decent welt on my back that you're gonna need to help me cover."

"Jesus," Helena breathed. "I didn't realized he fucked you up that bad."

"Eh," Felicity shrugged, trying not to think about it. "I've had worse." Much worse, but she wasn't about to say anything else. Those were memories she locked in her past, just like her ex.

"I'm afraid to ask," Helena said.

"It would probably be in your best interest if you didn't. Let's just say, Vegas and Boston weren't very kind to me."

Helena gave her another sour face before they headed off to the dressing rooms together, intent on covering as many of Felicity's bruises as possible before her first client came in that night. Before heading to the makeup table, she stepped up to the rack and found her outfit for that evening: a simple black trench coat that barely hit mid thigh.

She gave Helena a questioning look as she held it up. "Oh, yeah, your first client wanted you naked the entire night, but I told her nudity in the main lounge is prohibited, so we settled on the coat," she nonchalantly replied.

Felicity shrugged and began to strip out of her street clothes. Naked as the day she was born, Helena began to work on covering the bruises on her back with the thick stage makeup she made all the girls wear in cases like Felicity's. Clients hated to see their "toys" blemished in any way, so if a night got particularly rough, the next night was spent covering it up.

After half an hour, Felicity was ready to slip on the trench coat and head to the main lounge. Her mask that night was an antique masquerade mask, painted silver with black lace around the edges and a black feather jutting up and over her head from the left side. She loved those old masks. They always made her feel more mysterious and aristocratic.

Helena had mentioned her client that evening was a woman, so she took a seat at the bar and waited. The bartender, a young man by the name of Barry Allen, set a glass of her favorite red wine in front of her, and Felicity instantly gave him a bright smile. Just like Roy, Barry was a tender soul with a dark past. He was always sweet to her, though, especially when he was at the bar, and he always stocked her favorite wine.

"I heard about last night," he said after she took a sip.

"Ugh, has everyone heard about last night?" Felicity asked, shaking her head as it fell into her hand.

"It was kinda hard not to notice three bouncers rushing to your room," Barry replied. "You're okay, though, right?"

She smiled. "I'm fine." Taking another sip of wine, Felicity could see he was still staring at her from behind the form fitting red mask around his eyes. "You don't have to worry about me, Barry. I've been doing this for longer than I care to admit and I've gotten pretty good at taking care of myself."

"If you need anyone to walk you out tonight…" he started to say before she held up her hand to stop him.

"Barry, thank you for the offer, but I'll be fine." Felicity smiled at him sweetly before picking up her glass and heading out into the lounge to find her client. She took a seat on the chaise lounger again, this time making sure to sit up and cross one of her legs over the other. Her favorite pair of silver strappy heels glittered in the soft light as she waited.

Something caught her eye at the other end of the room and she turned her head to watch Roy and another one of the club's bouncers, walk toward the bar with crates of freshly cleaned glasses.

"Megan?" a soft voice called her name and her head immediately whipped around to see who had said it. Standing in front of her was a gorgeous platinum blonde in a black form fitting dress that stopped just above her knees and showed an ample amount of her busty cleavage. She wore a black masquerade mask with silver accents and gray plumage along the sides of her face.

Felicity smiled up at her before setting her wine glass down on the end table beside her seat and standing up. "Yes, and you are?" she replied, giving the woman her trademark coy smile.

"Ta-er al-Sahfer," she said. "It's Arabic for 'canary.'"

Felicity nodded and smiled. "It's a very pretty name," she commented. "But what would you like me to call you?"

"Since Ta-er al-Sahfer is a bit of a mouthful, you can call me Canary," she said with a smile of her own.

"Canary." Felicity said the name out loud, rolling it over her tongue much like she did Oliver's earlier that day. Mentally kicking herself to stop thinking about him, her eyes focused on the beautiful woman in front of her, smile playing on her plump red lips.

"I like the way it rolls off your tongue," she complimented. Leaning in, she whispered into Felicity's ear, "I wonder if it'll sound just as beautiful when I'm making you come."

A shiver ran down her spine almost immediately. Well, that was new. Canary was turning out to be nothing like any client she'd ever encountered. Most were at these clubs seeking their own pleasure, but this woman seemed to want to please her. Felicity couldn't help the flush that suddenly appeared on her cheeks. She tried to quell her excitement by asking, "So, what would you like to call me?"

"Hmm," Canary sighed as she looked Felicity up and down, her black lacquered fingernail tapping her lips. "Babe!" she called over her shoulder, and out of the crowd stepped a man about six feet tall wearing a full masquerade mask that covered his entire face. It matched that of his companion, with the same black and silver designs, only the plumage was green instead of gray.

Although Felicity couldn't see his face, she could tell he was handsome just by the way he looked in his black designer suit. He was muscular, most likely built like a tank under all that fine linen, but he didn't say a word. Instead, he wrapped his arm around Canary's waist and met her eyes before nodding. They were a shocking shade of blue that instantly drew her in.

"Does she look like an Is'ad to you?"

His masked face turned to study Felicity for a moment. The intensity of his blue-eyed stare made her want to squirm under his gaze, but she held firm, her back straight as an arrow. When he nodded, Canary replied, "Then for tonight, we'll call you Is'ad."

"What about your friend? What shall I call him?" Felicity asked, her eyes scanning him over just as he'd done a moment earlier.

"Suhaim."

Felicity nodded in agreement, giving them one of her coy smiles. "Come," she beckoned, one arm wrapping around Canary's while the other linked with Suhaim.

Once inside her room, she stood before them, reciting the rules as she had the night before and creating a verbal pact between the trio. "Alright, then," Felicity said with a smile, "I'm all yours. Your wish is my command."

"Then my first wish is for you to come over here and kiss me," Canary replied.

Doing as she was told, Felicity sauntered over to her, wrapped her arms around the other blonde's waist, and teased her into a kiss. Their lips just barely met at first. It was soft, tentative, exploratory before Canary's hands grabbed Felicity's hips and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss and causing her to sigh in contentment.

"Mmm, definitely better than I expected," Canary said once they pulled apart.

Felicity glanced over her shoulder to see Suhaim watching the pair like a hawk. "Would you like me to kiss your… friend as well?" she asked without releasing her hold.

"No, Suhaim is just here to watch. He's the voyeur whereas I'm the exhibitionist. I've always wanted to sleep with a woman and he's always wanted to watch, so I figured I'd give him a show tonight," Canary clarified.

"You came to the right place," Felicity replied with a coy smile. "What would you like to do next?"

"I'd like to take this coat off you and see what's underneath."

"Then by all means."

Felicity pulled away to stand in front of her masters for the night. A moment later, Canary walked behind her, hands slowly and methodically touching the parts of her body covered by the black wool fabric: her shoulders, her breasts, her waist. When she reached the the buckle that kept it closed, her fingers slowly unfastened it, lingering for a moment before she let gravity do the work for her.

The coat opened slowly, revealing inch upon inch of porcelain skin. Canary slipped her hands beneath the material. Her soft fingers gently ran up Felicity's exposed skin from her abdomen up to her clavicles until they reached the collar. That was when she took hold of it, pulling it away from her body with ease until it dropped to the floor at her high heel clad feet.

Completely naked for her client's pleasure, Felicity held her head up high, never once dropping her eyes. She projected the picture of confidence even though on the inside she felt excitement and trepidation. After the previous night, she was still hesitant about doing this so soon after being attacked. She was still sore between her legs and her bruises ached whenever they were touched, but her resolve kept her going.

"So beautiful," Canary murmured, her lips pressed to Felicity's ear. "I can't wait to taste you." And with that, she began planting kisses along the column of her neck as her hands reached around to her front and settled on her breasts.

Felicity couldn't help the sigh that escaped her lips. It had been quite a while since someone had been this gentle with her, and she took it in stride knowing at any moment she'd be at this woman's mercy.

Canary's lips traveled from her neck to her shoulder, occasionally nipping her skin and causing her to moan in response. Tonight was definitely one of those rare nights where Felicity gave in and allowed herself to enjoy what this woman was doing to her body. Her hands kneaded her breasts, pinching and rolling her nipples into stiff peaks, all while her lips returned to her neck, finding her pulse point and exploiting it.

A loud moan escaped Felicity's lips as her head rolled back and her eyes shut tight against the sensations. She hadn't had anyone make her feel this good in a long time, and she wanted to enjoy it for as long as she could.

"Do you like it, Is'ad?" Canary whispered against her ear, and Felicity nodded. "Good, because there's so much more where that came from." She moved to face Felicity, her hands never leaving her body, always remaining in contact with her skin.

Their lips met again, and this time, Felicity gave in to her completely. Canary was good with her hands and her mouth. Her fingertips swirled patterns against her skin as they moved from between her shoulders down to the small of her back. But then she pressed a little too hard on the spot where the crop had bruised her the night before, causing Felicity to cry out sharply and take a half step back.

"Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" Canary immediately asked, concern written all over her bright blue eyes.

"It's nothing," Felicity replied with a forced smile. "I'm sorry I interrupted you, Canary. Please continue."

But she didn't. Instead, Canary stared at her for several moments, her eyes scouring over her body, taking in every last inch until she stopped at her neck. There was a vulnerability that came with having someone eye her so critically, and Felicity knew if she didn't project the proper amount of control, this evening could go south quickly and she'd lose her commission.

"Turn around," Canary commanded. When Felicity stood facing her bed, she felt the other woman's hands fall flat on her shoulders before trailing down the planes of her back. She was methodical, touching, probing, caressing until she reached the edges of the crop mark. Helena had done a great job covering it, but Felicity knew if someone looked at the area closely enough, they could see the raised outline of the welt.

"What's this?" Canary asked, her fingers finally reaching the area she'd wanted to keep hidden. Felicity knew it would only be a matter of time before it was discovered, and when a manicured fingernail dragged across it, she couldn't stop her body from responding. Jerking way from the touch, she nearly yelped again if she hadn't slapped a hand over her mouth.

That was it. The night was over. Felicity could feel her heart sink in her chest. Her client had found the bruises and was going to call the whole thing off. She tried to see the silver lining in it by thinking last night's take would cover her losses this week if she was unable to perform her duties for her clients.

But then Canary surprised her. "Suhaim," she called out to her companion. "Get me a wet washcloth." She then wrapped her arm around Felicity's waist and guided her to the bed. "Lay down on your stomach," Canary gently commanded.

Felicity did as she was told, laying on the bed facing her covers. She tried not to focus on what was happening. There was a certain amount of detachment she needed to have in order to deal with this situation, and Felicity managed to distance herself from what was happening until a warm, wet cloth swiped across her skin. She hissed in pain, her fingers sinking into the dark purple satin of the duvet.

"You poor thing," she heard Canary whisper. "Tell me, where else are you hurt."

"I… I'd prefer not to," Felicity replied, feeling the sting of tears in her eyes. She really didn't want to lose her commission or her job over this, but there was something about the way the woman spoke to her that made her want to spill her guts. In a way, she was like Oliver, kind and caring, but she was also paying for a good time, two very contradictory things in her mind.

"I won't hurt you," Canary said, gently petting her hair. "I promise. I just want to make sure you're okay."

Felicity sat up and stared at her. The sincerity she saw in the woman's eyes was enough to quell her reservations. So, she held out her hands, wrists up, and Canary took them both, gently wiping away the makeup concealing her bruises. Then she did something Felicity didn't expect: she brought her wrists up to her lips and kissed them. They were the softest of touches, but they made Felicity want to cry.

"Where else?" Canary asked, and Felicity pushed the hair away from her neck. She stepped between Felicity's knees and began her work. Her hands were the gentlest there, slowly patting away the makeup until it revealed the finger shaped bruises left by the man from last night's encounter. Concern emanated from her blue eyes as she ran her thumb along the mottled skin.

Again, Canary leaned forward and pressed her lips to Felicity's neck, kissing each bruise ever so softly before moving to the next. Felicity found herself leaning into her touch, slowly getting drawn in closer and closer until their arms wrapped around each other. From that point on, it was nothing but kisses and caresses as Canary leaned Felicity back into the bed and began working her way down her body.

She started at her breasts, teasing them at first with her fingers before wrapping her mouth around one and sucking on the nipple until it was painfully taut. Moving to the other one, she replaced her mouth with her fingers, gently flicking it while her tongue worked its magic.

Felicity had never felt so aroused in her life. Whatever was happening that night, she knew none of her sexual encounters had gone quite like this. It was a rare opportunity allowing someone else to please her. She sighed when Canary's kisses fell away from her breasts and down her abdomen, but her lips were replaced by her hands, keeping Felicity teetering on the edge of her arousal.

When she reached her navel, her tongue dipped inside, swirling around for a moment as her fingers raked down her sides, leaving thin red lines where her nails had dug in. "Fuck!" Felicity whimpered when they reached her thighs, prying them open and giving Canary access to her already wet slit. When her soft lips moved to the triangular patch of hair just above it, Felicity let out another curse and moan, begging to be touched.

Her hands sank into the platinum blonde tresses of Canary's hair searching for purchase when her tongue licked across the smooth skin, tasting her essence for the first time. "Mmm, so good," Canary murmured against her folds, the vibrations from her voice tickling her clit. Her eyes flicking up to Felicity's as she added, "Let me taste the rest of you."

Without breaking eye contact, Felicity nodded and spread her legs wider, her folds parting to reveal moist, pink skin slick with her arousal. Canary slowly kiss and licked her way up Felicity's left thigh, her hands trailing down her legs. Looking up, Canary caught her breathless anticipation and smiled, gently running her middle finger through her soft folds.

Felicity gasped and closed her eyes at the contact. "Delicious," she heard Canary murmur before looking down to see her lick her finger clean. Felicity's heart pounded in her chest. She'd never been this turned on before. All she wanted was for Canary to take her and give her all the pleasure she'd promised back in the main lounge.

Canary reached out again, cupping her, gliding her fingers between Felicity's folds. She writhed and moaned with every touch, pushing herself against the hand that gave her everything she so desperately wanted. Slowly, Canary moved up and down her slick slit, massaging her before two fingers slid into her opening and ever so slowly began pumping in and out as her thumb circled her clit.

"God, yes, please," Felicity moaned, bucking her hips against Canary's hand. Her walls clenched around her fingers. She was so wet and so ready, her body desperate for more. When her fingers began massaging her g-spot, Felicity reached out and grabbed a handful of the duvet as a whimpered "Oh" escaped her lips. This was heaven, but she wanted,  _needed_ more.

Canary finally leaned forward and enveloped Felicity's cunt with her mouth, savoring her taste and memorizing every texture with her tongue. "Oh… oh, yes," Felicity whispered. As her agile fingers continued to stroke her inner walls, Canary hungrily lapped and sucked her clit and labia.

Felicity mewled and moaned, grabbing fistfuls of her hair as she neared her orgasm. Canary gazed up at her to find her eyes half lidded, her head slightly tilted back resting against the soft satin sheets. Her breasts rose and fell swiftly as quickened breaths and erotic sighs passed her parted lips. She knew she looked like a goddess in the throes of ecstasy, probably because it was how she felt.

Canary took her time, her tongue dancing across her clit, lips pressing, sucking, massaging her mound and surrounding the swollen nub on all sides. Her hands were slick with Felicity's juices as her fingers continued their work, stroking against her g-spot and gradually increasing speed until she was downright fucking her.

It wasn't long before Felicity's thighs began to tremble. She pushed herself deeper into Canary's mouth, desperate grinding harder looking for her elusive release. Her moans became cries of "Oh, god!" The closer she came to her climax, the louder her voice echoed through the room.

Canary moaned almost in rhythm with her partner's thrusts, the sound vibrating against Felicity's clit, making it throb and ache for more contact. She could feel her juices dripping down her thighs and pooling on the duvet beneath her ass. As much as she didn't want this bliss to end, her orgasm was fast approaching.

"Oh, god! Oh, fuck! I'm coming!" Felicity cried when she was finally pushed over the edge. Canary's nails dug into her hips, holding her down as the waves of her release crested. She slowed her rhythm, moaning as Felicity rode out her crescendo. Her walls pulsed around Canary's fingers as her juices flowed into her palm. She massaged Felicity's clit with the flat side of her tongue, steadying her, helping her keep her orgasm as intense as possible until it was over.

And as the waves subsided, Canary slowly pulled her fingers out and dipped her tongue through Felicity's folds, greedily drinking up every last drop that remained of her arousal.

Felicity gasped, her fingers still clinging to the platinum blonde locks of the woman kneeling between her spread legs. She was exquisitely sensitive now, her body trembling from the pleasure that continued to pulse through her. The world felt like it was glowing around her. It had been years since she'd experienced an orgasm that intense, and it left her happy and sated. She looked down at the woman who had given it to her and smiled.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Canary asked. All Felicity could do was smile and nod. "Good." She then stood, her hands caressing up from Felicity's knees to her the tops of her thighs and giving them a light squeeze.

"Suhaim," Canary called out to her companion. He appeared at her side almost immediately, taking her hand and helping her to her feet.

Felicity had forgotten about him. He'd been quiet the entire time, most likely just watching and enjoying the show. There had been other women who'd brought their husbands or boyfriends along for a show. It wasn't anything new for Felicity. The new thing was Canary stepping away from the bed and heading toward the door, her companion in tow.

"Wait!" Felicity called out to them and they turned in unison to stare at her. "Don't you want me to return the favor?"

Canary gave her a coy smile. "You already have," she cryptically replied before disappearing through the door leaving Felicity lying in a sated and confused heap on her bed.

She shrugged it off and tried to get up, but her body still hummed from her orgasm. So she took a few minutes to recoup before trying again. This time she managed to sit up, but standing still proved to be difficult on her wobbly legs. Felicity decided to give up for at least ten more minutes, flopping back down on the bed to recover a little longer before she tried one more time.

It took half an hour, but she finally managed to get to her feet and put the trench coat back on before stumbling down the hall toward the dressing rooms. She bumped into Roy in the process and he immediately put an arm around her waist to steady her.

"Whoa, hey! You alright?" he asked, those bright blue eyes giving her the same concerned look from last night.

"I am A-O-K," Felicity answered with a dopey smile. "More than okay. Fantastic. Spectacular!"

He chuckled before helping her down the hall and into the dressing room. "Good night?"

"Oh, you have  _no_ idea," she said. "That was quite possibly the best night of my life. I haven't had an orgasm that good since… I can't even remember when."

"Ugh, Meg! Please, do not tell me these things!" Roy groaned, his face contorting in disgust. "You're like a sister to me and the last thing I wanna hear about is my sister's sex life, even if we both work in the same sex club."

"I just… can't get over it, Roy," she continued as if she hadn't heard him. "You know the clientele. They usually take, take, take, but this woman… She gave, in spades, and expected nothing in return. It was like having my own personal Santa Claus, only instead of getting gifts, I got a hell of a lot of pleasure."

"I think my ears are bleeding," he grumbled, releasing her once they'd made it to the dressing room.

"Oh, come on, Roy! When was the last time you had a mind blowing orgasm?" Felicity continued to prod.

"I just told you you're like my little sister and you still keep bring up the sex questions," he deadpanned, glaring at her, brows knitted in annoyance.

"Seriously, though. Who was the last person you slept with that made you go weak in the knees and forget your own name?" She was pushing and she knew it. Why? Felicity didn't really know. It seemed as if her brain didn't feel like disconnecting from the bliss she'd felt that evening and she wanted to share it with everyone.

Roy looked up and down the hall before leaning in close. "This stays between you and me, okay?" he whispered.

It was her turn to glare. "Who would I tell?" Felicity asked.

"Alright, fine…" Roy took a deep, steadying breath, then said, "Thea Queen."

Felicity had to do a double take, then her eyes widened to the size of saucers as she repeated,"Thea Queen… as in Queen Consolidated Thea Queen… As in Oliver Queen's little sister Thea Queen?"

"Yeah."

"Oh how I wish I'd never asked…" Felicity mumbled, pressing her hand to her forehead. That was the last person whose name she'd expected to hear. "How do you even know Thea Queen?"

"Saved her from a purse snatching a few months ago right outside the club actually," he softly admitted.

"Does she even know what you do for a living?" Felicity asked.

"She knows I'm a bouncer."

"Yeah, a bouncer in a sex club!" It came out a little louder than she had intended, making Roy glare at her again, this time anger present in his blue eyes.

"I didn't lie to her if that's what you're getting at," he said between gritted teeth.

"I'm not. It's just that… being in this field complicates relationships and I don't want things to get complicated for you. God knows it's the reason I've been single for the longest time."

"But you actually do the work. I'm just here to make sure no one hurts you."

"Still, there's a stigma to it. I know it's not as bad as mine, but it's there. So if you like this girl, make sure you tell her what you actually do for a living. If she can look past it, then you've got a keeper. If not, don't end up letting it hurt you."

A soft smile touched Roy's lips. "For someone a few years old than me, you're wise beyond your years, Miss Haze," he said.

"Yeah, well, that's what happens when you have to grow up faster than you'd like," Felicity replied.

Roy nodded. "Don't I know it," he said. "I'd better let you get back to work."

"If I can actually get back to work," Felicity said with a lopsided smile. "I'm still wobbly."

"Again, TMI!" Roy teased before turning around to leave.

Now alone, Felicity pushed open the door to the dressing room and stumbled in, taking a seat on one of the couches inside before getting back up to find her next outfit. Her second client didn't have much of an imagination, making her wear a French maid costume. He was typical, almost run of the mill for her: a little dominance, a little submission, some wham, bam, thank you, ma'am, and that was it.

But Felicity's mind remained on her first client that evening. The woman had been so kind and so caring, so tender and gentle, she really didn't know what to make of the encounter. She was so used to giving pleasure instead of receiving it that her mind had trouble processing everything. A pint of mint chocolate chip was what she needed along with a TV show marathon, but it would have to wait until the weekend.

Changing out of her last outfit of the night, Felicity threw her street clothes back on and headed to Helena's office. She found her there counting out that night's take and separating it into piles for each of her employees. There was a sizable amount of cash sitting on her desk considering that was how clients paid. What surprised Felicity was the tall stack of hundred dollar bills off to the side with her name written beside it.

"I hope that's last night's take added to whatever I made tonight," Felicity said as she took a seat across from her boss and warily eyed the money.

"Nope, that's all you made tonight," Helena answered with a smile.

"How is that even possible?" Felicity couldn't even begin to fathom how much cash was sitting there in her pile. There had to be over fifty grand in there, if not more.

"You had a very generous female client who insisted on paying extra for her male companion to watch."

Felicity felt her knees go weak, and if she wasn't already seated, she might have fallen to the floor. That made two nights in a row where her average take was exponentially higher than what she'd usually make in a month… or three. "How… how much?" she stuttered.

"A hundred grand," Helena said, placing the last hundred dollar bill onto her stack.

"Wait! Wait! Wait! You mean to tell me she paid a hundred thousand dollars to fuck me while her friend watched?" Felicity incredulously replied.

"No, two hundred thousand dollars."

Felicity's jaw immediately dropped as her eyes tried to pop out of her head. She could feel her head start to spin as her heartbeat quickened and her breaths turned shallow. "Oh, my god, I'm having heart palpitations. This can't be real. This has to be a mistake," she mumbled. Sinking down in the chair across from Helena, Felicity put a hand over her chest as she tried to remember how to breathe.

"It's not, so stop freaking out," Helena replied, rolling her eyes as she gave her a smile.

"Not to sound ungrateful or anything, but why didn't Sin get first dibs on her?" Felicity asked. Sin had been at the club for a lot longer than she had, therefore got first crack at clients paying more than ten grand. It didn't matter that Felicity was the more popular one. Seniority ruled at this club, therefore those that had been here the longest got first crack at the highest paying clients.

"Because she stipulated in the contract that she didn't want anyone else but you," Helena explained, grabbing each pile of cash before tapping it on her desk to even it out then placing it in an envelope.

"She asked for me by name?" The disbelieve dripped from Felicity's voice as her eyes widened.

"Yeah. She said she got your name from a friend and wanted to see what the fuss was all about," came the nonchalant answer.

"Helena, usually when I get those clients, they like to get kinky as hell and rough me up because that's what their friends did. She was the exact opposite of that.  _She_ fucked  _me_. And then she left without letting me return the favor!" Felicity nearly shouted, her head beginning to spin from all the insanity these past two days had been.

"Huh…" Helena cocked her head to the side and stared at her for a moment before going back to the money. "That is a bit… odd. But, hey, easy money for you, right?"

"True," Felicity agreed, "but that's not the point!"

Folding her arms in front of her after having finished divvying up the cash for her staff, Helena leveled her with a glare. "What's the point, then?" she asked.

"It's too much money! And I don't understand what's going on!"

"Felicity, calm down," Helena gently commanded as she reached over the table and placed a hand on Felicity's where it lay on her desk. "Maybe you're finally getting into some good luck. I know you come from a rough past. Maybe, for once, karma is working in your favor. Stop thinking about the why and enjoy it."

"But you know mysteries irritate the shit out of me," Felicity practically whined.

"Life is full of mysteries, Felicity. Stop trying to solve them all."

With a reluctant sigh, Felicity nodded. "Alright, fine. I'll try to enjoy this. I just don't like getting my hopes up."

"Enjoying it doesn't mean getting your hopes up. It means buying yourself those sexy Louboutin high heels I've seen you look at on your phone and taking them out for a spin this weekend. Who knows, you might even meet the man or woman of your dreams!"

"Now you're going too far into fantasy land," Felicity quipped, giving her boss an amused smile.

"Maybe. Maybe not. You never know what'll happen in twenty-four hours time," Helena replied. She grabbed Felicity's envelop from the previous night out of her safe then proceeded to hand it and tonight's envelope to her. "Now don't go spending all this at once," she warned with a wink.

Felicity smiled, shoving the two envelopes full of money into her bag before heading out the door. Tonight had definitely been a strange night, but Helena was right. It was time to enjoy the fruits of her labor, even if it was just a pair of shoes.


	5. Chapter 5

Felicity took Helena's advice the following afternoon and headed to one of the high end boutiques down the street from Queen Consolidated during her lunch hour. She was glad to have worn her favorite magenta-seamed peekaboo mini dress because it made shopping for shoes that much easier. That and it made her look just as fashionable as the women inside the boutique.

There were two pairs of Christian Louboutin heels she'd had her eyes on for quite some time. The first was a classic pair of black Pigalle Pumps that would match everything in her wardrobe. Felicity bought those in a heartbeat. The second pair was a little more eclectic. Bright magenta to match her dress with alluring cutouts that exposed her foot from both sides, the pair of Galata peep-toe stilettos made her heart sing. Felicity loved them so much that she wore them out of the store that afternoon.

As she settled back into her office to finish out the rest of her work day, Felicity's mind returned to the mysterious blonde from the night before. She couldn't help herself when the images suddenly came flooding back. God, last night had been amazing. She had to squeeze her thighs together in order to stop the sudden rush of arousal she felt thinking about it. Unfortunately, it didn't help much.

For the rest of the afternoon, her focus waned between the pile of computer parts sitting on her desk and the sudden need to run to the bathroom to get herself off. That's how much Felicity had been affected by the previous night. She managed to get through three more hours of tinkering with circuit boards and CPU's before her body finally ran out of patience.

The clock on the wall read 4:57PM when Felicity stood up and stretched her legs. She hadn't taken a break since lunch and was glad to finally get the opportunity to relieve herself in more ways than one. With her bag over her shoulder, she was just heading out the door when she heard Ed call out her name.

Felicity paused at his office for a moment as he said, "Mr. Queen needs you in his office immediately."

"God, damn it," she cursed under her breath. Instead of heading towards the bathroom, Felicity made her way to the elevator. She was nervous. After the coffee incident yesterday, she didn't know what to expect out of this meeting with him, so she pushed the entire encounter out of her mind and took a deep breath.

Unfortunately her trepidation wasn't enough to trump her sex drive. The trip up to the 39th floor was excruciating, her body humming with arousal she could barely contain, which meant seeing Oliver Queen in all his delectable glory would be agonizing. Why did the man have to look so sexy in a business suit? It was simply unfair.

Stepping off the elevator when she reached his floor, Felicity noticed his assistant had left for the weekend and that they would be alone again. As she pushed past the glass door to his office, she noticed it was empty. "Oliver?" she called out, feeling less self conscious using his first name knowing he'd be the only one to hear it.

"In the conference room," he called back to her.

Felicity crossed the distance from his office door to that of the conference room beside his desk in moments, her heels clicking against the marble floor and echoing through the empty room. She found Oliver sitting at the head of the table, his pen once again to paper, this time scribbling something down in a notebook. He looked up as soon as she entered the room, those intense blue eyes fixed on her making her breath catch.

"Ed mentioned you wanted to see me," Felicity hesitantly said as she stood at the other end of the room, unsure of what to do.

Oliver smiled and she suddenly felt at ease. "Yes," he replied, standing up. That was when she noticed the tie loose around his neck and the first two buttons of his white dress shirt open.

Licking her lips unconsciously, Felicity followed him with her eyes as he strode over to her. When he closed the distance between them, Oliver motioned for her to follow him into his office. Instead of stopping at his desk, he led her to the little lounging area a few feet in front of it.

She took a seat on the black leather couch facing the window and stared out at the sun setting behind Starling City. He took a seat opposite, the last of the evening rays casting a halo around his toned form. "Why is it that you called me up here?" Felicity asked, wondering why they were sitting so far away from his computer.

"I wanted to apologize for yesterday," Oliver said. "It wasn't my intention to pry when I saw those bruises on your wrists and neck. I was just… concerned. I've seen bruises like that before and it scares me to think where someone like you could have gotten them."

Felicity couldn't help herself. She smiled at him as her cheeks began to flush pink. Although thinking about the scene made her stomach drop to her shoes, seeing the concern in Oliver's eyes, the way he leaned closer as he spoke, the softness of his voice. "I'm fine, really. It wasn't anything that I didn't consent to if that's what you're thinking," she replied. Technically, it was the truth, a half truth, really. Felicity didn't want to lie to him, but she couldn't flat out tell him how the bruises had happened. "But thank you for asking."

"I thought you said you didn't have a boyfriend," Oliver recalled, gazing at her curiously.

Chewing on her lower lip, Felicity's eyes flicked away from his for a moment. "I don't," she admitted. "It was a… one night… thing." That was about as close to the truth as she dared to get.

His brows furrowed and the look of confusion crossed his face before understanding dawned on him. A half smile appeared on his lips and he said, "I never would have pegged you for a one-night-stand type of girl."

"Hey, girls are entitled to nights of debauchery!" Felicity shot back. "Don't get all judgy with me, Mr. I've-Slept-With-Too-Many-Women-To-Count!"

Oliver sobered quickly. "I'm not judging," he quickly replied. "I was just making an observation. Although, am I right in assuming you like it rough?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," she coyly answered.

"Maybe I would," Oliver said, his eyes fixing he with such an intense gaze that Felicity actually sat back in her seat, unable to respond.

A long moment passed between them as they simply stared at each other, daring one another to speak. Felicity pondered his words. This had been the second time in as many days that he'd made an overtly sexual remark, yet she didn't feel uncomfortable or threatened by it. They'd been dancing around their attraction to one another, playing a very obvious game that neither one of them wanted to admit.

So Felicity decided to make the first move. "Why exactly did you call me up to your office, Mr. Queen?" she asked, leaning forward so her elbows rested on her knees. His response was the exact opposite of what she'd expected.

"My father always spoke highly of you," Oliver said, his eyes never leaving hers. "Back when I was shadowing him, your name would pop up whenever he mentioned the new Applied Sciences division. He said that you would be his first choice to manage it or possibly even run it, depending on how well you did in the I.T. department. I always thought he was full of it until I met you. Now I understand."

"Understand what?" Felicity asked.

"You're definitely nothing like what I'd expected," he replied with a smile.

She cocked her head to the side, trying to get a read on him, but failing. Oliver Queen, unlike his father, was a mystery, and she hated mysteries. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Felicity shot back.

"A good thing, I hope," Oliver answered. He leaned forward, his expression turning suddenly serious. "I told you the other day that I've been doing my homework on you. Your H.R. file is comprehensive and speaks highly of your value to the company. But everyone's got their secrets, and some are more scandalous than others."

Felicity felt the blood drain from her face. "What are you talking about?" she warily asked. "You said you wouldn't…"

"I've kept my promise. I didn't dig into that part of your past," Oliver said. "There were more pressing questions I needed answered. Like how you've managed to pay off a hundred thousand dollars of your student loans in a little over three years. That's an impressive feat for someone your age, especially for what you make in the I.T. department. Kinda makes me wonder what you do on the side."

Felicity could feel the moment her heart stopped when he said those words. Her eyes shot to his and held their gaze. Taking in shallow breaths, she waited.

Oliver studied her, biding his time, his eyes scanning her over before he continued. "Like I said, I did a little more digging," he said. "Vegas was my first thought. After all, you did get kicked out of the Mirage for counting cards, but according to records from the Starling Grand Hotel & Casino, you've never stepped foot inside that place. Nor have you frequented any of the underground casinos. So that got me thinking as to what else Vegas is known for and I realized it was a little more shady than scamming casinos."

He stood up and headed back into the conference room, grabbing the notebook he'd been scribbling in before Felicity had arrived. Flipping it open to an earmarked page, Oliver scanned its contents before gazing back up at her. "Megan Haze," he said.

Felicity gasped as her face went ghost white. "How… How did you…?"

"Megan is your middle name. Haze… Smoak… I connected the dots," Oliver nonchalantly replied.

He was far more perceptive than she initially thought. Narrowing her eyes, Felicity asked, "But how did you even know?"

"Because, Miss Smoak, we've been running in the same circles all along. Does  _Verdant_ ring a bell?"

Her jaw dropped as her eyes went wide with shock. Then it dawned on her. "No," she whispered. "How is that even possible?"

"It's possible because I own Verdant."

"Verdant is  _your_ club?" she asked, her eyes still the size of saucers. Had Felicity known it was owned by her boss's son when she first joined, she never would have continued working there. But when she checked the name on the deed, it said the club was owned by a shell corporation that traced back to Merlyn Global, one of Queen Consolidated's main competitors, and the corporation owned by Tommy's father, Malcolm Merlyn.

"But the deed says it's owned by Sagittarius, Inc.," Felicity pointed out.

"That was Tommy's idea," Oliver said solemnly, and suddenly Felicity could see that bringing up his best friend's name was a sore spot for him, one she fully intended to exploit if this conversation was going where she thought it was going. "He didn't want our parents knowing what we were getting ourselves into. The building was designed to be a nightclub upstairs and… something else in the basement."

"But… I don't understand. What…? How…?" For the first time in a long time, words failed her.

"You said it yourself, Felicity. I have slept with my fair share of women," Oliver admitted. He relaxed back into his chair and continued. "After a while, Tommy and I got bored with the same old run-of-the-mill sex, so he suggested we try out a club that a buddy of ours from college owned.

"I'd heard about sex clubs. I just never thought they'd be something I was into until I actually ended up in a room with a dominatrix. In all honesty, I was expecting to hate it. I was expecting it to be weird and kinky and all kinds of wrong. But that night, I had the most mind-blowing sex of my life. I didn't realize what I was missing until she forced me to do things I'd never done before," he explained.

Felicity hadn't been expecting him to get so candid with her. She had many questions, but the only one that found its way to her mouth was: "Why  _exactly_ am I here, Oliver?"

He smiled that devilishly handsome smile, the one that showed off his dimples as he gazed up at her with soft eyes. "You know that dominatrix I was just telling you about?" Felicity nodded. "It was Helena Bertinelli."

How had her life turned into an episode of the Twilight Zone, Felicity wondered as her jaw seemingly unhinged itself and dropped even lower. The CEO of the company she worked for during the day also owned the club she worked for at night. As shocked as she was to find all this out, she still had one more pressing thing on her mind. "That doesn't tell me why I'm here."

"Helena's been talking about you ever since you started working there, but she always gave me your stage name. I've wanted to come see for myself what the fuss was about, but considering I've been in a relationship for the past two years, it's never really crossed my mind," Oliver explained.

"You're talking about Sara Lance, aren't you?" Felicity replied, finally able to turn the tables on him.

He stared at her for several moments, his bright blue eyes widening slightly. "How did you know?"

It was Felicity's turn to smirk. "Because, Mr. Queen, just like you, I've been doing my own research. I've read the tabloids speculating about a relationship between the two of you ever since she returned from Iraq two years ago. Coupled with what I heard the other night, I put two and two together."

"You heard the sex comment, didn't you?" he replied with a resigned sigh. "I should have known, but we all make mistakes."

"That is true," she said. "The only question is whether or not our mistakes will get us into trouble."

Oliver nodded. They'd finally come to an impasse. Each had dirt on the other that could potentially scandalize Queen Consolidated, but something told Felicity they'd also reached a silent agreement.

"So, I'm only going to ask you one more time, Mr. Queen. Why am I here?"

"You're here because I need your… assistance."

"My assistance? In what exactly? Because you've alluded to quite a few things, but I'm not sure what it is you need my help with." She wanted Oliver to say it out loud, to confirm her suspicions before she started to bargain with him.

"Sara and I have been having issues lately, and we're open to trying something new," he said. "So last night we decided to come to the club. Since Helena's been ranting about you being our best girl, I wanted to see for myself."

"That was you?" Felicity hissed as she stood up. She began to pace the floor, fuming. "Oh, my god. I can't believe this," she muttered under her breath, her hand firmly planted on her face. Her boss, the guy who'd been praising her for the last few days for her ability to fix his laptop in just under two hours, had not only seen her naked, but had watched his  _girlfriend_ eat her out  _and_ give her an orgasm. The flush spread from head to toe as embarrassment then shame then helplessness filled her in quick succession.

"To be fair, I didn't put it together until last night when Sara discovered the bruises. That's how I knew it was you," Oliver confessed as he stood up.

Felicity's head fell into her hands. She really didn't know how to process what was going on at that moment. The world felt like it had just caved in on her. Her private life had somehow crossed into her public life and there was no going back now. Oliver knew her secret. Hell, he'd watched his girlfriend fuck her into oblivion! It was mortifying and humiliating. Tears stung her eyes and she furiously wiped away at them before they could fall down her cheeks.

"Felicity, please, let me explain," he begged, his demeanor changing instantly as he stood up and closed the distance between them. Oliver took a seat beside her, giving her a few inches of space. "I swear, I didn't know it was you. When Sara wiped off your makeup, I had to do a double take because I didn't think it could possibly be you. But the bruises on your wrists and your neck were so distinctive. At that point I knew I couldn't keep watching, so I turned away. I didn't see anything else. It wasn't until Sara called me back that I turned around, and even then I didn't dare look at you.

"But here's thing. After we left last night, Sara and I… We… Things finally started to feel right again between us and we had some of the best sex we've had in years. She wanted to come back tonight and do it again, but I convinced her not to. At least not until I talked to you."

Felicity simply stared at him. Whereas his intentions the first night they met had been all business, tonight they'd exceeded that and had gone into the realm of personal. She didn't know how she felt about this sudden turn of events. Was her career at risk? Did she have to worry about him firing her if she said no? It was all so much to take in at once.

"Talked to me about what?" she asked, deciding to focus on one thing at a time. It was far easier than trying to look at the whole crazy, screwed up picture.

"About quitting the club and taking us on as private clients," Oliver said. "It's what Sara wants. And usually what Sara wants, she gets. I just don't want you to feel pressured to do it."

"Yet it still sounds like I don't have a choice," Felicity leveled him with a glare.

"You do, but I just want to know what I can do to convince you to do this."

"Wipe out my student loan debts," she offhandedly retorted, thinking he wouldn't take the bait. The absurdity of the whole situation had finally dawned on Felicity. This definitely wasn't how she saw her night going, or her life for that matter, but now she was knee deep in crazy. How crazier could it possibly get?

"Done," Oliver replied, striding over to his desk and taking out his checkbook.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Felicity hollered, holding up both her arms in an attempt to stop him. "I didn't think you'd actually say yes."

He stood there staring up at her, pen in hand waiting to write out the check. "Do you want more?" he asked, almost a little too eagerly. "I'll throw in an extra hundred thousand if you'd like."

"That's not what I want!" she said, exasperated. Her body fell back into the couch as she sat with her head in her hands, her mind reeling. And just like every other encounter she'd had with him, her mouth went off with her brain unable to catch up. "What I want is to get out of that industry and do what I really love, which is working with computers and technology. I don't want to be someone's plaything anymore. I want to be myself. But I need the money to get out of debt, and right now, I don't make enough here, so I have to work nights at the club. That's what I really want."

Oliver stared at her for several long moments before he said, "Okay, then, how about a compromise? If you agree to take us on for six months, I'll wipe out your debts and give you a position as the head of Applied Sciences once the building is completed."

"Wait, you're just going to give me the head position in Applied Sciences? You're not going to consider anyone else? Because I'm pretty sure there are several other people in the I.T. department that are just as qualified as I am and have been working here for far longer," Felicity rambled, unable to stop herself.

Oliver blinked. "If that's what you want," he said.

"Wha… I... " she stuttered, trying to find the words. "I don't know what I want! Can I have a few days to think about it? This is a lot to take in all at once."

Putting away his checkbook, Oliver turned to her and replied, "Of course. Take all the time you need. I'll try to hold off Sara for as long as it takes."

Felicity nodded. "Thank you," she softly replied before standing up and walking out the door. There was a lot she had to think about that weekend.


	6. Chapter 6

For Felicity, the weekend usually meant lounging around in sweats while catching up on her favorite TV shows she'd missed during the week. She'd binge watch everything for hours on end, order pizza or take out, and drink a bottle of wine until it was time to head to the club for her night shift. This weekend she spent pouring over her finances and trying to figure out if it was a good idea to take Oliver's offer or not.

An average week at Verdant usually managed to net her about three to five thousand dollars. This past week, she'd made over two hundred thousand dollars, an amount that would look incredibly suspicious if she tried to put it in the bank or pay off her student loans all at once. Felicity knew it would be a good idea to invest it in something and slowly let it grow over time, but she didn't want to risk getting tied up in government red tape if she tried.

Her best option was to rent a safe deposit box and let the money sit in there until she'd had sufficient time to explain it away. Her tax returns currently listed Queen Consolidated as her only employer. The cash she received from the club was always under-reported. It was claimed under odd jobs she took on in her spare time, repairing or building computers for extra cash in her spare time. The government, and anyone else who looked at her taxes, would be none the wiser.

The pros of accepting Oliver's proposal meant that her income from Queen Consolidated would skyrocket from its current five figure annual salary to six figures. It also meant Felicity could afford to rent or even buy a new place that wasn't so close to the worst neighborhood in town: the Glades. The debts she'd incurred during her years at MIT would be wiped clean, meaning she'd be able to keep all the money she'd made the prior week as backup just in case something happened and she needed cash. Then there was the fact that she'd never have to work in the sex trade once her time with Oliver and Sara was up.

It was, by far, the most appealing part of his proposal: getting out of that life once and for all. As much as Felicity loved sex and pleasing people, the need to get tested for possible sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy every few months was weighing her down. Yes, the club paid for it as part of the deal the employees made, but there was always that feeling of trepidation whenever she got the results back.

Felicity had been lucky so far in that she'd managed to stay disease and baby free, but at least two of her former coworkers had to give it up because they'd contracted pretty nasty bugs from their clients. Although Helena was adamant about screening her clientele, there was always a possibility that tests could come back with false negatives, and condoms sometimes broke. The proof was in the pudding. One of her former coworkers had just been diagnosed with herpes while the other was currently battling HIV. It made her shiver just to think about having to deal with those kinds of things for the rest of her life.

The cons of taking the deal meant there was potential for her to be singled out at Queen Consolidated as being Oliver's office slut. And with Carrie single handedly gunning for her, that possibility wasn't so far off. Yes, Felicity had thought to mention there were other people in the department that deserved the job as much as she did, but even she knew her intelligence and business sense would propel her to the top of the list, regardless if she took the deal or not. But still, it would be hard to explain how a lowly I.T. assistant manager got promoted to the head of the Applied Sciences division if she wasn't sleeping with her boss, no matter how true it was in her case.

Felicity was eager and willing to do whatever it took to get the job she wanted, but she'd always hoped it would be through merits and qualification, not by sleeping with the CEO of the company. Yet, there was a part of her that reminded Felicity she'd not only been head hunted by Robert Queen straight out of MIT, but that he'd spoken so highly of her that Oliver had taken notice and decided to see for himself.

It was tragic he had to find out about her second job the way he did, but at least now there were no more glaring secrets between them (aside from those she didn't want revealed for personal reasons). There was a level of trust and honesty that hadn't been there before. They respected each other now that they'd shared their darkest secrets with one another.

"Well, I guess I'm taking the deal then," Felicity muttered under her breath as she stepped out of her apartment and made her way to her car. She needed to get downtown before noon since that was when Starling National Bank closed on a Saturday. In her shoulder bag she carried the envelopes full of cash that Helena had given her two nights before.

That feeling of being watched returned as she unlocked the driver's side door of her red Mini and slid into the seat. Her first instinct was to slam the door closed and lock it before glancing around to see if anyone had followed her. When she saw the street was empty and devoid of traffic, Felicity shoved the key into the ignition and turned over the engine. It started with a roar and she was off.

She hated carrying around more than fifty dollars with her at all times. It made Felicity nervous that she might get robbed, especially with the continued feeling of being watched. The sensation was the same one she'd felt the previous night at the club as she'd walked from her car to the employee entrance. At least it wasn't as strong now that the sun was well overhead, but it remained, taunting her, prickling her skin and making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. And she hated it.

Paranoia had become a large part of Felicity's life ever since she took on her second job in Starling City. Back when she'd been in Vegas and Boston, she'd mostly used Craigslist to find her clients and had done everything herself. Working for someone else proved to be a little more difficult at first, mainly because she only saw half the money she used to get, but as time passed, it steadily grew, as did her fear of being found out. No matter what she did, how many servers she hacked and email alerts she set up with her both club name and her real name, it was never enough to ease her mind. And now, having such a large stash of cash in her purse made it feel ten times worse.

Upon reaching the financial district, Felicity began driving up and down the side streets. Parking in downtown Starling City was much like parking in Vegas or Boston: damn near impossible to get a spot anywhere close to where she wanted to be. After circling blocks around the bank, Felicity finally found a spot two streets down, which wasn't bad, especially since the temperatures were slowly climbing into higher digits. At ten in the morning, it was already up to around sixty degrees, a decent temperature for this time of year.

Felicity was thankful she'd left the house wearing a hoodie that morning. With no one to impress, she opted to feel comfortable rather than look decent. Besides, her weekend chores usually consisted of grocery shopping and maybe a stop at the electronics store to pick up spare parts for her home computers, a bit of a luxury considering she didn't have that much to spend most weeks.

As she locked up and made her way down the sidewalk, that strange sensation of having eyes on her reared its ugly head again. Picking up the pace, she power walked in her panda flats, stopping only when the street lights turned red. Upon reaching the bank, Felicity rushed through the revolving door, relief spreading through her when she was finally inside the lobby.

Asking to speak with someone who could issue her a safe deposit box, Felicity was escorted down the stairs into the basement where she met with a personal banker who handled that particular job for the bank. Within twenty minutes, she had her box and was sitting in a little room, the door closed and locked away from any prying eyes. She shoved the envelopes inside along with a few other items she no longer wanted to keep in her apartment for safety reasons: a pair of one karat diamond and white gold teardrop earring and matching necklace her mother had given her for her eighteenth birthday, and a silver ring in the shape of an arrow that her father had given her only days before he'd abandoned their family.

It still hurt to look at that little piece of jewelry, which was why she needed to stow it away, whereas the earrings and necklace were too valuable to keep in her apartment anymore. There had been a few incidents that past year where residents of her apartment complex had been robbed while they were at work. Being the only tech savvy person in her whole building, Felicity had installed her own security system[1] that she monitored from her phone. It was an extra layer of protection just in case something happened. Swiping her thumb in a certain pattern activated and deactivated it while swiping another pattern alerted the police that something was going on.

Handing the box back to the attendant once she was done, Felicity headed up the stairs to the main lobby. Her next order of business was to possibly grab a quick lunch at one of the cafes she'd passed on her way to the bank before making her way out into the suburbs to do her grocery shopping. The prices there were always much lower than in the city, allowing her to save money even though she really didn't have to. It was a carry over from her days of living as cheaply as possible, and she prided herself on being frugal.

As she reached into her purse to grab her car keys, Felicity's attention waned from focusing on where she was walking to looking for the little black keyfob that had somehow mysteriously disappeared in the depths of her large bag. She muttered curses under her breath as she pushed aside the contents until she suddenly collided with another body.

The impact startled her, making her lose balance and fall to the ground at the person's feet. Felicity was mortified. She'd done plenty of clumsy things before, but this one had to take the cake. Not only had she fallen flat on her ass in front of the crowded bank lobby, she'd also dropped her purse, spilling its contents all over the marble floor.

"I am so sorry!" a familiar voice said from above her. Felicity looked up sharply to find none other than Oliver Queen crouching down beside her. "Please, let me…" Whatever he was about to say died in his throat when he saw her. "Felicity?"

"The one and only," she muttered, even more mortified now than she had been earlier.

"Here, let me help you," Oliver said as he began picking up the things that had fallen out of her purse and handing them to her as she continued to sit on the floor feeling foolish and dumbstruck. When she hadn't said a word to him, he asked, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" There was a level of tension in his voice as he gazed at her with those deep blue eyes letting her know he had become concerned for her well being.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Felicity quickly replied in hopes of alleviating some of the unnecessary tension she saw in his shoulders. "Luckily my butt broke my fall." She picked herself up off the ground and dusted herself off before shoving all the items that had fallen out of her bag back in and slinging it over her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going," he apologized again, looking a little more at ease than he'd been earlier. His shoulders had relaxed and the tension she'd seen on his face dissipated, but he remained remorseful.

"Join the club," she quipped, hoping to put him completely at ease. There was something about seeing him look so distraught over something that wasn't even his fault that tugged at her heart strings. Here was the most powerful man in Starling City looking as if someone had kicked his puppy all because he'd accidentally bumped into the clumsiest girl in the world. It was a stark contrast to the night before.

Felicity held out her hand, a silent offering of good will toward him, and Oliver took it, giving her a gentle smile in response. When he finally stood up, she got a good look at him. Gone was the business suit she was accustomed to seeing him in. It had been replaced with a pair of dark stone washed jeans and a blue flannel shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows showing off the tanned and incredibly toned muscles of his forearm. This casual side to Oliver Queen made Felicity's mind do a nosedive as she wondered just how toned the rest of his body was under his clothes.

"Well, this is a first. Oliver Queen not in a business suit," she said, unable to believe she could still think dirty thoughts about this man after their last encounter. It was a testament to the strange way her mind had of processing things.

He looked her up and down then, his eyes settling on her face. "Really?" Oliver replied with a smirk as he pointed to her outfit. Aside from the MIT hoodie and panda flats she wore, a pair of black yoga pants completed her weekend look.

As mortifying as it was, she decided to brush it off. It wasn't like she was there to impress him anyway. She'd done that already. "What?" Felicity shot back. "It's Saturday and perfectly acceptable to wear yoga pants and a hoodie wherever I go. It's not like I'm looking to impress anybody. And for the record, I wasn't making fun of you for wearing plaid. Actually, you look rather good in it. Like hot lumberjack good." When he chuckled, she slapped her hand over her forehead. "And I said that out loud, didn't I?"

"So I'm a hot lumberjack now? As opposed to what? A sexy businessman?"

"Now you're just twisting my words! Even though you do look rather sexy in a business suit. Not that I've noticed." Felicity really tried to play it cool, but there was something about him that always got her flustered. It seemed to be the case every time he smiled at her, especially now, when his smile turned into a full blown grin, dimples and all.

"So what you're really trying to say is that you think I'm attractive," Oliver said, that damn grin turning into a smirk.

"What I'm  _saying_ ," she emphasized, "is that pretty much everybody finds you attractive, myself included."

They began walking through the lobby, side by side, until they reached the door. Like the gentleman that he was, Oliver held it open for her, allowing Felicity to step through with a smile and a thank you. As they started to make their way down the street, he leaned in close and asked, "Does that mean you're considering my offer?"

"I've… thought about it," Felicity hesitantly admitted, still not ready to tell him that she'd already made up her mind.

"If you've thought about it, then that's all that matters to me," Oliver replied.

"Don't get too far ahead of yourself. I haven't said yes yet."

The warmth of the late morning sun soon fell onto her hoodie, forcing Felicity to unzip it a tad so she wouldn't overheat as they continued to walk down the street. They stopped at a crosswalk, and when she looked up, Oliver's smile had faded. Those sharp blue eyes gazed down at her as he asked, "What's stopping you?"

"I'm still weighing the pros and cons," Felicity answered honestly. "I don't make rash decisions. My life, my choice. And until I have all my ducks in a row, that choice won't be made."

Oliver's smile returned, his eyes softening just as the light turned green, allowing them to cross the street safely. "I respect that about you," he said. "You're not afraid to say no, and you're not afraid to stand up for yourself, which is completely different from your alter ego."

Felicity mulled over his words for a moment, unsure on how to take them. No one had ever gotten close enough to her to know both sides of her life, and now that Oliver had, she didn't know what to make of it. So, she went with honesty again.

"Megan Haze was someone I used to be: weak, fragile, submissive. Once you're thrown into the real world, it hardens you, makes you see things you were blind to before. It reveals the parts of you that you've been trying to hide. If it wasn't for Megan Haze, Felicity Smoak wouldn't exist," she explained as they passed the little boutiques and cafes that lined the street.

"You had to grow up fast, didn't you?" There was a bit of a sad note to Oliver's voice as he spoke, one she could relate to. It probably wasn't easy growing up in the limelight with two highly successful parents that were rich beyond her wildest dreams. She could see how he developed the party boy persona as a way to distance himself from that life, and how it ultimately came crashing down the night he chose to drive drunk. But she chose not to bring it up. Maybe one day he'd tell her exactly what happened that night, but today wasn't that day.

"I did," Felicity admitted. "After my father left, my mother started working three jobs to support us. Then when I turned sixteen, I started working part time while taking all the honors and A.P. classes at school. You'd think they'd be a little more challenging for someone with my IQ, but I was already doing college level work by the time I was a junior."

"Was that why you started counting cards?" Oliver asked, bringing up the part of her past she usually liked to keep hidden. But he'd already dug it up, so Felicity figured it was about time to cop to it.

"That was a fluke," she said. "I didn't realize I was doing it until one of my friends pointed it out to me after I'd won far too many hands at blackjack against him. I looked it up at the library one day on a whim, and all of a sudden, I was winning even bigger pots against my friends. One of them suggested I try it at a casino, which, at the time sounded fun to me because, hello, teenager doing college level everything. Of course I'd do something stupid. So one of my other friends scored the fake ID's and soon we were hitting up the Bellagio, Caesar's Palace, the Mirage… You name it. I managed to milk the casinos out of close to half a million dollars before I got caught. Since I was a minor, I had to promise to pay all the money back and never set foot inside a Vegas casino for as long as I lived."

Oliver chuckled. "I bet your mom was pissed."

Felicity couldn't help but giggle with him. "It might be funny now, but back then, I wasn't laughing," she said. "God, she was so mad! And not the spanking kind of mad either. No, she was the 'I'm so disappointed in you' kind of mad."

The cringe she saw appear on Oliver's face let her know he'd probably had his fair share of those speeches himself. "If I had a dollar every time I got one of those after a crazy night of partying…" He paused for a moment, looking rather thoughtful. "Actually, I'd still be rich so forget I said that."

She laughed, genuinely laughed at his attempt at humor before stopping in front of her car. "Well, this is me," Felicity said as she dug into her purse and found her keys. She looked up at Oliver, still unable to wipe the smile off her face as he gazed at her with the soulful blue eyes. "Thank you for walking with me to my car even though you really didn't have to."

"It was my pleasure," he replied. "I don't normally get to do stuff like this with Sara. She's always so alert to her surroundings that we don't even get a chance to talk as we walk down the street. Her eyes are always scanning for threats. At least that's what she tells me."

"War does that to people," Felicity pointed out. She threw her bag into the front seat of her Mini then turned back around to face him.

They stood there for several moments, simply staring at each other without saying a word. But it didn't feel as awkward as it should have. Instead, there seemed to be a better understanding between them, something Felicity found rather strange. She couldn't deny that she liked this comfortable silence. It actually made her feel a little giddy that she was able to share a story with someone without feeling judged. And it made Oliver's proposal even more appealing.

"I should be going. I've got things to do," Felicity said, finally breaking the spell. "Lots and lots of… things."

"Well, then, I won't keep you waiting," Oliver replied with a smile. Just before she walked off to climb into the driver's seat, he grabbed her hand, forcing her to stop in her tracks as he raised it to his lips and placed a soft kiss on top. "I'll see you later," he murmured.

If that didn't turn her bones into mush, Felicity didn't know what would.

He let her hand go, giving her a wink as he walked away back down the street from where they came, his hands slipping into his pockets.

"God damn it," Felicity muttered, her heart on the verge of pounding out of her chest. The man was intriguing, that was for damn sure. He could get under her skin one moment then charm the pants off her the next. It made it that much harder not to say no to him, but she continued to resist. There were still a few more calculations and contingency plans she needed to make before she officially said yes.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edit 1: This chapter has been edited slightly. There has been an amendment added to the contract involving allergies, and a second amendment regarding the nature of the relationship.
> 
> Edit 2: I'm sorry! I keep changing things! I've added a bunch of stuff to the contract, so please reread it if you've already read this once. Again, really sorry, but these changes needed to be made.

The weekend passed much more quickly than Felicity would have liked. But she had managed to get her affairs in order. After hours of planning, she'd finally come up with a few ideas as to how she wanted the deal with Oliver to go. Although her college debts and her job at Queen Consolidated had already been agreed upon verbally, she took it upon herself to draw up a contract, just in case things didn't go as planned.

After all, the club had a contract. Felicity would be a fool to enter into something she didn't have some control over. Just as she'd told Oliver that crisp Saturday morning, it was her life, therefore it was her choice, and she wanted to make sure he knew what that entailed.

With one copy of the contract for Oliver to sign and one for Sara, she headed up to his executive suite on the 39th floor that Monday evening after her work day had ended, intent on going over it with him and seeing if he wanted to negotiate any revisions.

"Felicity," he said upon seeing her walk through the glass door, holding the folder full of documents in her hand.

"Oliver," she replied, giving him a hesitant smile.

"What can I do for you?"

She stepped up to his desk and replied, "I've made my decision."

Oliver sat back in his chair, his fingers steepled out in front of him as he regarded her carefully. With a nod, he motioned for her to take a seat in one of the chairs that faced him. She sat down, placing her purse on the empty chair beside her and the folder within reach as she pushed up her glasses.

"I accept you officer, but I have conditions." Felicity opened the folder to the document she'd been pouring over for the last twenty-four hours and handed him a copy.

Oliver studied it for several moments, reading through each bullet point before his eyes found hers again. "A contract?" he finally asked, his head tilting ever so slightly as he studied her.

"Would you ever do business without one?" Felicity shot back.

He nodded again, a tiny smile appearing on his lips. "Is any of this negotiable?" he asked, staring down at it again.

"It depends on what you want to negotiate."

Oliver read it over once more, this time out loud.

* * *

This contract is written to make clear the duties, rights and obligations of both Felicity Smoak, the submissive (hereinafter, "sub"), and Oliver Queen/Sara Lance, the Dominant (hereinafter, "Dom"). From the date of signing, this contract will be in full force and effect for a period of six months.

**THE SUBMISSIVE**  
**RIGHTS, DUTIES, AND OBLIGATIONS** **  
**

I promise to obey the will of my Dom in all things. I understand that His decisions will be made with the ultimate care and thoughtfulness for my well being mentally, physically and emotionally. The decisions He makes will be made sober and they will allow me to maintain my career. (A separate contract will be drafted outlining the terms of employment and monetary compensation my Dom has agreed to.)

I promise to conduct myself with the utmost respect for my Dom. I will address Him as 'Sir' or 'Master', unless it would be indiscreet to do so; in which case, I will use the His name.

I understand that, above all else, it is my duty to please my Dom and I promise I will endeavor to do so. I will speak respectfully and truthfully, conduct my tasks quickly and efficiently, and see to my Dom's every need. These needs may be social, sexual, or those that fall under service.

I understand that I am to serve at my Dom's pleasure at all times, whether or not we are physically together, with the exception of my working hours, pre-approved volunteer time, pre-approved family visits, and other necessary leave that we may decide to negotiate separately.

I agree to have my cell phone with me at all times, to keep it charged and in working order, and to respond to texts or phone calls as promptly as I am able.

I understand that my Dom's reliance on safewords obligates me to use them and I promise to do so. I will use "yellow" as a warning word to request that my Dom slow down, ease up, or change direction while continuing the session. I will use "red" to immediately end a scene or session.

I agree to spend my weekends from 5:00 p.m. on Friday until Monday morning at 6:00 a.m. with my Dom at the location of my Dom's choosing. I will spend holidays either with my Dom or with my family as we may negotiate separately.

**THE DOMINANT  
** **RIGHTS, DUTIES, AND OBLIGATIONS**

I promise to care for and cherish my sub. I will help her, teach her and guide her, show her her limits and take her beyond them. I have the right to use her body so long as I do not damage her, inflict lasting injury or harm her mentally.

I have the ability to use her as a servant, have her tend to my whims and needs and I will do so. I will use implements and tools on her for my own pleasure, I will bind her and restrain her, and I will have her sexually.

I will not use alcohol or drugs at any time when we are together, unless previously agreed upon. I will help her find her pleasure in submission, and I will make sure that she knows when she has pleased me. I will reward her and punish her for her efforts and failures, but I will take the time to hear her thoughts and nurture her as she grows.

My sub is a precious thing to me, and I seek to make her strong and powerful herself. I will not interfere with her work, nor will I make unreasonable demands upon her time. I am aware that she may dislike some of my choices, and I know that my word is the final authority in all matters. I will, however, listen to her opinions and thoughts with respect and I will consider her opinions. Her needs outweigh her preferences, and it is my duty to ensure she understands that.

I will set a routine and rules for my sub, and I will let her know what the punishments are for infractions. I will set daily discipline. It is my duty to be constant for my sub, and to be reliable, sober and caring. I will respect the attached (requested) list of my subs preferences, and discuss them with her.

**MEDICAL CONSIDERATIONS**

Both parties agree to be tested for all common sexually transmitted diseases within one week of the signing of this contract or it will be considered void. In addition, follow-up testing is to be conducted every three months for the duration of this contract. If at any time either party tests positively for any STD, this contract will be considered void until further negotiation takes place and a rider is added to address the situation.

Allergies must be taken into consideration prior to any meals, dining out or otherwise, and before all types of play that may involve food.

Both parties agree to keep standard First Aid and CPR certifications current.

**CONFIDENTIALITY**

Both parties agree that their involvement in a relationship involving BDSM will remain confidential. Parties may tell family or friends of involvement in a relationship, but cannot specify the exact nature of said relationship, not showing inappropriate photos or giving any personal information; and the kinky aspects would remain secret.

**EXECUTION**

This contract represents the negotiated terms and understanding between the parties. By signing below, both parties respectfully agree to be bound by the terms of this contract for a period of six months, at which time they may consider extension, renegotiation, or agree to part ways at their discretion. This contract may be terminated for cause at anytime by either party with verbal notice.

**EXCLUSIONS**

The following outline activities as proposed by the sub are actions that are physical impossibilities:

  * Bestiality
  * Body Modification of any shape or form including:
  * Branding
  * Piercing, Permanent or Play
  * Saline Injections
  * Scarification
  * Tattooing
  * Breath Play
  * Catheters
  * Cutting
  * Drinking Blood or Urine
  * Giving Away the sub to anyone other than the parties specified within this contract
  * Humiliation Private, Public, or Verbal
  * Recording of Scenes via Photography or Video unless consented to by both parties
  * Showers Brown or Golden
  * Torture or Rape Scenarios



The Dom will respect the above list of my subs preferences, and discuss them with her.

**EMPLOYMENT & MONETARY COMPENSATION **

The Dom hereby agrees the termination of this contract will not affect the sub's employment at Queen Consolidate under any circumstances. Her title as Director of Applied Sciences will remain in place even if both parties do not part amicably. Upon the expiration of this contract, the Dom agrees to pay the sub a total sum of four hundred thousand dollars as compensation for her time. Any other monetary compensation will be decided upon by the Dom, including food, clothing, medical expenses, or any other needs of the sub.

* * *

"First, I'd like to commend you for doing your homework and coming up with such a thorough contract," Oliver said as he gazed up at her with a thoughtful expression. "It shows me you really are up for not only what I expect of you while under this contract, but also as Director of Applied Sciences.

"As for the terms I'd like to negotiate, I've never been a fan of anyone calling me 'Master'. 'Sir' will do." Felicity took her copy of the contract and began taking notes. "I would also prefer if you came to live with me for the next six months."

Her head shot up sharply to stare at him. "I don't know if I'm comfortable with that," she replied.

"But you said it yourself in the contract, and I quote," Oliver countered, picking up his copy and reading from it. "'My sub is a precious thing to me, and I seek to make her strong and powerful herself. I will not interfere with her work, nor will I make unreasonable demands upon her time. I am aware that she may dislike some of my choices, and I know that my word is the final authority in all matters. I will, however, listen to her opinions and thoughts with respect and I will consider her opinions. Her needs outweigh her preferences, and it is my duty to ensure she understands that.'"

"With all due respect, Oliver, we have yet to sign the contract," Felicity sternly answered, her eyes narrowing at him. "Besides, I don't want to give up my apartment just yet. I still don't know how things are going to pan out these next six months."

"Then how about a compromise?" he asked. "You can keep your apartment but still live under my roof."

"Only if you'll allow me to go back every once in a while if things get tense or if I need a break, and if you pay the rent," she countered. "I don't want to be paying for an empty space I'll rarely get to use."

"I can live with that."

Felicity noted it on her copy. "Anything else you want to negotiate?"

"The possibility of pregnancy," Oliver said as he leaned over his desk.

"I got the contraceptive implant about six months ago," Felicity was quick to reply. "It lasts up to three years and is more than ninety-nine perfect effective at preventing pregnancy."

"Good, because I don't like using condoms."

"Anything else?"

He took a moment to reread the contract before he said, "Am I allowed to try before I sign?"

"Try? Try what?" Felicity asked before it dawned on her. "Oh. OH!" Her eyebrows shot up as she dropped her pen on the marble floor at her feet. "You mean you want to have sex with me before you sign the contract?"

"Sara did," Oliver reasoned.

Felicity bit her lip, unsure of how the tables had suddenly turned on her. One moment they were getting ready to revise and sign the contract and the next Oliver was talking about sleeping with her before he put his signature on the dotted line. But he was right. She'd already technically had sex with Sara. It would only be fair if he had his turn as well.

"Okay," Felicity conceded. "But it's going to be on my terms."

"I'll agree to your terms if they are within reason," he said.

"First and foremost, consent is key. All the rules you've set for your club apply to this encounter. Second, there must be some sort of monetary compensation," she listed. "Oliver Queen or not, anyone who wants to sleep with me needs to pay up, even if we're negotiating a contract that'll essentially turn me into your personal sex toy for the next six months."

Oliver's expression darkened at the mention of her future role in his life. "How much?" he asked.

"One hundred thousand dollars," Felicity replied, her eyes now focused on his face.

"Ten thousand."

"Your girlfriend paid two hundred grand for a night with me," she shot back. "Seventy-five thousand."

"Fifty thousand. That's my final offer," Oliver said, holding out his hand.

Felicity studied him for a moment, her eyes darting between his outstretched hand and his stern face. He really was a good businessman, which was why she'd set the price so high. She knew he'd try to get it lowered, especially since she'd already managed to squeeze four hundred thousand dollars out of him for her loans and a job as the Director of his Applied Sciences department.

"You've got yourself a deal, Mr. Queen," Felicity said with a smile as she shook his hand. "So, when would you like your test drive?"

"How about right now?" he asked, leveling her with those devastatingly handsome looks that could easily put a lesser woman under his spell.

"What? Wait! Now?" she sputtered, the look of disbelief crossing her features.

"Why not?" he countered. "It's after five. The building is mostly empty except for security and maintenance staff." Oliver stood up and made his way toward her, his imposing six foot stance towering over her as she remained seated in front of his desk.

Felicity swallowed. With a glance down at her watch, she realized it was almost time for her to head to the club. "But I…" she was about to start rambling about her obligations to Helena, but he quickly cut her off.

"Need to go to the club?" Oliver asked, finishing her thoughts. "I'll call Helena and have her release you from your duties for the night."

With a sigh, Felicity gave in. "Alright," she said. "Tonight it is."

"And if everything works out, bring me the revised contract tomorrow night and both Sara and I will sign it," he promised.

Nodding, Felicity stood up, her five-foot-three height boosted several inches by her high heels so she didn't feel so short standing in front of him. Oliver was perched on the edge of his desk, his feet crossed in front of him as he stared back at her with those intense blue eyes. "I guess now the only question that matters is, who would you like me to be tonight, Mr. Queen?" Felicity asked, easily slipping into her club persona as she leaned into him, her arms spread out to either side of his hips.

His hands snaked around her waist, tugging her against his body so there was no longer any space between them. One reached up to gently cup her cheek, his thumb stroking across her magenta lips. "I want you to be whoever you like, just so long as you listen to my commands," Oliver said just as his hand slid to the back of her neck just below her ponytail and pulled her forward.

Their lips crashed against each other, his kiss bruising against her mouth, teeth nipping and biting and sucking until he pulled a sigh from her throat. A smile quickly brightened his face, and Felicity knew she'd done something right, filing it away for future reference. His fingers quickly grabbed the tie in her hair and yanked it out, releasing the golden locks so they cascaded over her shoulders.

"I like you much better with your hair down," Oliver murmured as he pulled away slightly to take a look at her. She was still holding onto the desk for dear life, her knees on either side of his legs in an awkward position that was putting an unnecessary amount of strain on her back. Felicity straightened up a bit, making sure to move ever so slightly forward, brushing her chest against his before pushing off the desk to stand on the heels she'd bought the previous week.

"Strip for me," Oliver commanded, his eyes roaming the length of her body.

Felicity's fingers slowly reached up, grabbing the top button of her baby pink collared shirt and popping it open. Her eyes never left his as she undid each button from its hole until her shirt hung from her shoulders. "Would you like to do the honors?" she asked when she saw Oliver's fingers flex against the desk as if he wanted to reach out and touch her.

"No," he shook his head. "I'd like to watch."

She nodded, taking hold of each side and dragging the material down her shoulders. The shirt fell to the floor at her feet leaving Felicity in only a cream colored frilly lace bra. It was one of her favorites, accentuating her breasts so they stood proud throughout the day. Judging by the way Oliver's eyes quickly zeroed in on them and the smile that crept onto his lips, he had taken notice.

The next item of clothing Felicity chose to remove was the simple grey pencil skirt she usually paired with her pink dress shirt. She reached back, taking the zipper in her hands as she leaned forward slightly, giving Oliver a better view of the tops of her breasts. She had to admit, this was turning her on slightly, watching him gaze at her appreciatively with every article of clothing she slowly took off. It was something to keep in mind as well, filed away for a later date.

Pulling the zipper down, Felicity tucked her thumbs into the soft wool fabric and slowly began to shimmy it down her thighs revealing the cute cream lace trimmed pink and white polka dotted panties she wore beneath. Not exactly her choice of underwear to impress a client, but she didn't have much say in the matter. Still, the look in Oliver's eyes remained hungry as he stared at her nearly naked body, taking it all in.

Several long, silent moments passed where she held her breath, waiting. Her hands, having nothing to fiddle with, slowly caressed up her sides until they reached the full cups of her bra. Felicity watched his eyes move with them and stop where they stopped.

"Take it off," Oliver gruffly commanded, his voice having dropped an octave the more aroused he became.

Felicity knew she had him then. It was the point when all men fell to their knees with her. They might have had the illusion of power and control over her, but in reality, she was the one that held the power. Her responses to their instructions were what turned them on, what kept them going, and she'd become the master at figuring out exactly what they wanted.

In Oliver's case, it was pretty simple and straightforward. After her two encounters with Sara, she could see he wanted someone that he could control, someone he could mold into his own personal fuck toy at night. Sara was far too strong-willed, and if Felicity could hazard a guess, she was probably also as controlling as he was, if not more, judging from her military background. These two were going to be a handful to deal with on a daily basis, but Felicity was up for the challenge now that she understood some of Oliver's motivations.

Grabbing the clasp of her bra, she unlinked it from the hooks and grabbed the straps, pulling them down her arms ever so slowly until they fell to her elbows. The cups remained firmly pressed against her breasts, something she'd anticipated, so when Oliver let out a low, almost predatory growl, she gave him a sweet smile then placed her hands over each one, pulling them away to reveal the creamy skin beneath.

Felicity cupped her breasts. They were firm and round, capped with dark pink nipples already swollen with arousal. She pinched them lightly, all the while staring into Oliver's eyes. Her libido was beginning to take over, eliciting a warmth that started in the pit of her stomach and traveled down. She was really beginning to love the way he looked at her, as if she was the only thing he wanted in the world, yet he couldn't have her yet.

It spurred Felicity on, her hands trailing down her abdomen until they reached the frilly cream lace of her panties. They played there for a few moments, dipping beneath the soft edging and just giving him a tease of what was beneath. Oliver sucked in a breath, watching her intently until she slowly began drawing the pink and white polka-dotted fabric down her supple thighs. When it reached her knees, she let go, her panties dropping to the floor, leaving her in only the magenta high heels she wore.

That was when Oliver pushed himself off the desk and came to stand in front of her. They stared at each other for several moments, his breath ghosting over her lips until he finally closed the distance, claiming her mouth. Felicity melted into him instantly when his arms banded around her waist, pulling her flush against his well muscled chest. She delighted in every little sound he made, the vibrations thrumming through her body in time with his hands caressing her skin.

Felicity reached up, her fingers wrapping around the collar of his shirt, holding him close as he nibbled on her lower lip until she let it drop, allowing his tongue to slide into her mouth and tangle with hers. Little sounds escaped her throat as she closed her eyes and reveled in all the sensations that were suddenly assaulting her: Oliver's tongue exploring her mouth, his hands caressing the curves of her body, his throbbing cock pressed against her belly twitching beneath the fine black Italian fabric of his pants.

This was the first time throughout her career as a high-end prostitute that she'd ever really wanted to sleep with a client. Oliver Queen was gorgeous and passionate and, from the looks of it, very much into her, just as she was into him. His fingers found their way to her ass, cupping each cheek in his large hands before kneading her flesh. He made her feel wanted, needed even, as if his whole world revolved around her at that moment.

The only other person who had made her feel that was was Sara, and now she understood the underlying reasons to her acceptance of his proposal: Felicity was sick of being used by people who only cared about themselves. With Oliver and Sara, she could see it was different. They were in the midst of their own problems and were hoping to find clarity with her. She could only hope they'd give her clarity as well. God knows, she'd seen enough in her short life to fill a novel. It was about time she finally started seeing past her problems and toward the goal she'd set for herself after completing her Master's.

But then Oliver's hands were pulling away from her and falling on her shoulders to push her back slightly. Felicity was pulled out of her thoughts as her arms dropped to her sides and she stared up at him, missing the warmth he'd provided. "Turn around and place your hands behind your back," he said, taking hold of his emerald tie and loosening it.

Felicity knew exactly what he planned on doing with that soft green silk, and she was eager to find out where it would lead. She turned around as he'd told her and waited for him to confirm her suspicions. When the tie wrapped around her wrists, she smiled.

"Close your eyes," Oliver roughly whispered against her ear, and she did. A soft silk scarf was wrapped around her head, keeping them shut.

Bound and blindfolded, Felicity felt her heart began to beat faster in her chest as her arousal reached new heights. Although this was by no means anything new to her, knowing who she was having sex with made the experience all the more arousing.

His hands found their way back to her waist, one splaying across her abdomen as the other worked its way up until it cupped her breast. Felicity couldn't help but mewl when his fingers began kneading the supple flesh, rolling her already painfully taut nipple into a stiff peak before moving to the other and giving it the same attention.

New sensations soon overwhelmed her senses: his lips kissing their way down her shoulder, the hand that had been splayed across her abdomen sinking lower until his fingertips rested just above her mound, his hips rocking forward, pressing his cock against her back. Felicity trembled, her breaths coming out in short, desperate pants until Oliver whispered, "Walk."

With a hand on her hip, he guided her where he wanted until her chest pressed up against something very cold. The blindfold was pulled off revealing the glittering lights of Starling City shining before her. Oliver had her pressed up against one of the glass windows that surrounded his office. Looking down made her heartbeat hammer away in her chest.

"Yellow!" Felicity cried out, forcing Oliver to step back and give her some space. She stepped back as well and turned to stare at him. "What are you doing?" she asked, still trying to regain her calm.

"Playing out a fantasy?" It came out more as a question than an answer. Oliver suddenly looked uncertain. "This is my favorite view of the city," he continued. "Are you afraid of heights?"

"Yes," Felicity bluntly replied. "Which is something I am just learning right now."

His arms were around her waist again, pulling her to his chest. "I won't make you do anything you don't want to do, but I'm just asking you to try," Oliver said, gazing down at her with soft blue eyes. "I promise I'll keep you safe."

She hesitated for a moment, but soon pushed back her reservations. There was something about him that made Felicity trust him without fail. "Okay," she said.

It made that warm smile creep onto his lips just before he leaned down and kissed her. "If it gets to be too much, just close your eyes and listen to my voice. I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you," Oliver replied.

Felicity was spun around again, her body pressed against the window as he moved behind her. Hearing the zipper of his pants opening, she turned her head back slightly. She watched as Oliver pulled out his cock, holding it in his hand by the thick, veiny base. Dear god, he was hung. She continued to watch as he pulled a condom out of his wallet and rolled it over the fat head before sheathing the rest of his long shaft with it.

There had been other impressively hung clients Felicity remembered fondly, but this was the first time she was able to see the man behind the dick. It was enough to make her forget her sudden fear of heights just so she could enjoy the way he stepped up behind her, his cock sliding between her spread legs, teasing her slick folds.

"Already wet for me, baby?" Oliver whispered against her ear before running his tongue along the shell. It caught on the industrial piercing she had and swirled around it gently before moving down to the lobe and sucking it into his mouth. When he released it, he said, "It's exciting, isn't it? Seeing all of Starling City from up here, your gorgeous naked body pressed up against the glass desperate to feel me slide into you, yet no one can see any of it. It's our little secret."

He then hooked his arm beneath her right leg, hoisting it up and using the cool glass to keep it held upright. Felicity gasped, her breath causing the window to fog. She wanted,  _needed_ to feel him inside her now. Her body craved the slow, torturous pleasure Oliver offered as his hips rocked back and forth while his free hand inched down her stomach until it was pressed against her mound.

Felicity knew he could drag this on for hours if he wanted to. Hell, she was anticipating it. But he surprised her yet again when his fingers pried open her folds and he plunged into hard and fast, filling her to the brim with a single thrust. She gasped and let out a yelp, but, damn, he felt good.

"God, you're so tight," Oliver moaned against her ear. He pulled out and thrust back in again, forcing her body to press harder against the glass. Felicity moaned in response, her eyes fluttering shut as he began a slow rhythm: in, pause, out, in, pause, out. She loved the way he filled and stretched her, and when his fingers began to rub against her clit, she knew she'd be done too soon.

"You are not allowed to come until I say so," Oliver growled against her ear, sensing how close she was to hitting her peak. "Understood?"

"Yes, Sir," Felicity acknowledged, her fingers grabbing a fistful of his white dress shirt in a desperate attempt to do as she was told.

"Good girl," he praised, his lips falling to her shoulder and kissing their way up her neck. The arm holding her leg released, and she made sure to keep it propped up by pressing the toe of her stilettos into the support beam that held the window in place.

With his now free hand, he brushed the long, golden strands of her hair away from the side of her neck and began sucking hot, nipping kisses along it. "Fuck," Felicity muttered under her breath as she tried to control the sudden heat that pooled low in her belly. She was getting dangerously close to her orgasm.

"Baby likes that, doesn't she?" Oliver murmured before sinking his teeth into her neck again.

"Oh, fuck yes!" she cried out, her head rolling back to land against his shoulder.

"Vocal; I like that," he said, his hand reaching down to capture one of her bouncing breasts and giving it a light squeeze before his thumb and forefinger closed around the hard little nipple.

Felicity panted and moaned, her body rocking along with his, meeting every powerful thrust with one of her own. She wanted to hold on, to fight the dizzying high she found herself dangerously close to, but Oliver was relentless. He pushed her harder, the fingers on her clit rubbing, pinching, slapping the overly sensitive nub as his hips set a punishing pace.

"Are you close, baby?" Oliver taunted, his hips slowing as he pulled his fingers away from her clit. Felicity could feel her arousal run down her thighs as he pulled out of her completely, leaving her with an aching emptiness she did not enjoy. He pulled the knot on the tie, releasing her wrists before grabbing her and pulling her away from the window.

She was brought to the couch, but before he pushed her into it, Oliver caught her lips in a blazing kiss that left her breathless and needy. His hands sank into her hair, keeping Felicity's head cradled upward until he'd had his fill of her already swollen lips. In a matter of moments, he pulled away and she found herself sprawled out across the black leather facing the window.

Oliver grabbed her ankles, hooking one over the back of couch while the other fell to the floor leaving her spread open so he could nestle between them. His arms settled beneath her thighs, hands caressing their way up her sides until each held one of her breasts. Then his tongue licked its way across her folds, forcing Felicity to tilt her head back in pure ecstasy as her back arched, filling his hands with her breasts.

"Oh, fuck!" she cried out, her eyes squeezing shut against the incessant way his tongue wiggled along her slick slit before plunging between her folds and finding her clit. Her hips bucked, pulling him deeper as he lashed at it, sending white hot jolts of electricity through her veins. Felicity reached out, her hands falling on top of his begging him to squeeze her breasts harder. It was one of her favorite things: being fondled while eaten out. The calloused pads of his fingers added an extra level of pleasure as they brushed across her highly sensitive nipples making her jump and cry out.

When his tongue speared into her, Felicity screamed. Her thighs trembled, but she did as Oliver had asked. Staving off her orgasm was no easy feat. It had been years since she'd forced herself to keep it in check, but she desperately wanted to impress him with her ability to take commands.

Yet it seemed Oliver had other plans. His right hand wiggled out from beneath hers and dragged its way down her abdomen until it came to rest against her ass. Warm, calloused fingers caressed along her crack, and when he withdrew his tongue from her slick heat, they replaced it. Starting out with one, he plunged into her, curling against her tight walls and feeling the pressure, testing to see how tense she was. He added a second finger, then a third before a satisfied smile crossed his lips.

His rhythm started slow, just like his hips had, but the way he curled his fingers, searching out the spot that made Felicity scream the loudest, that's what proved to be her undoing. He was quick to find it, and when he did, Oliver went to town. His mouth wrapped around her clit, tongue flicking it relentlessly, while his fingers stroked that magical spot until she was crying out, demanding he go harder and faster.

He stared up at her, those azure eyes dark with passion and lust boring into her as she strained against him, gritting her teeth in an attempt to stop the impending orgasm that threatened to rip through her at any moment. Felicity was so deliciously close. Her body thrummed with pleasure, dancing on the edge of sustained arousal and the need to fall helplessly at her master's command.

She was teetering so dangerously close to orgasm when Oliver's movements came to an abrupt halt. A sob escaped Felicity's throat at the loss of his demanding ministrations. When she glanced down to meet his gaze, he looked like a panther getting ready to pounce on its prey. A surge of lust washed over her as she waited, unable to anticipated the moment when he'd be on top of her, claiming her as his. And, dear god, she wanted it, craved it, to be taken like a gazelle by a hungry lion and plundered until he was sated.

"Sara said you tasted amazing that night," Oliver murmured as his lips trailed from between her thighs and kissed their way up her body, his gaze never wavering from hers. When he was hovering above her, his still fully clothed upper body pinning her to the warm leather, he added, "She was right." Then he kissed her.

Felicity could taste her essence on his lips, musky and sweet, as his tongue demanded entry into her mouth. She relented immediately, giving Oliver everything he wanted. Her body was his to do as he pleased, and for the first time, she had no qualms about it. The way he'd treated her, held her, touched her; it spoke volumes about his character. He wasn't just another CEO seeking to gain whatever power and wealth he could. Oliver Queen was a man with a heart bigger than he would ever admit.

The power he had, he'd earned from years of trials and tribulations. He wasn't the partying playboy of days past. He was a man born of fire and pain, one that went above and beyond to atone for his sins. Treating Felicity with respect was one of those ways. He respected her boundaries, backed off when she asked him to, yet still managed to convince her to keep going, to try, for him. And she would, gladly, every time, if it meant being able to experience the great pleasure he had to offer.

As one of his hands sank into her hair, the other wrapped around her waist, splaying across the small of her back and lifting her up slightly. Oliver tilted her head, kissing her impossibly deep while positioning his cock at her entrance. Her left arm snaked around his neck, leaving her right hand free to run down his chest until it wrapped around his shaft. He groaned when she stroked his length, her mouth swallowing the sound with delight.

Oliver tore his lips away when her thumb began to swirl circles around the swollen head, causing him to suck in a ragged breath. "Fuck, baby, if you keep doing that, neither one of us will get to finish tonight," he warned.

Felicity grinned up at him, her hand sliding down to the base of his cock and squeezing it tight. "Not if I can help it," she said, keeping her grip firm as she gave him a few more rough strokes. Oliver was literally in the palm of her hand, at her mercy. The tables had suddenly turned, and she was now in control, but she wouldn't dare go against his commands. Instead, she made it seem as if he was the one ordering her around.

"What would you like me to do, Sir?" Felicity asked, keeping her eyes trained on his.

"Let go and put your hands over your head," Oliver commanded, and she did as she was told. Her hands rose above her head, falling to the armrest of the couch. He secured both her wrists in one of his hands, holding them where they lay. "Good girl," he whispered, his free hand coming up to stroke her cheek. "Would you like to come?"

Felicity nodded her head vigorously, and was rewarded with a slap against her thigh.

"Speak when you are asked a question," Oliver growled, his eyes hardening as he stared down at her.

The expression didn't scare her though. It excited her, and Felicity quickly replied, "Yes Sir."

"Soon," he said, smiling down at her just before his cock plunged into her wet depths.

Felicity cried out, her eyes slamming shut as he pulled out then thrust back into her, hard and deep. Soft whimpers of pleasure and delight escaped her throat as he continued his brutal pace. Then his lips fell to her collarbone, sucking and nipping at her skin, and she almost lost it right there. Her legs wrapped around Oliver's waist, and she met him, thrust for thrust, her back arched up so they were pressed together.

When her walls began to tighten around him, Felicity knew she couldn't hold on any longer. She gazed up at him, her eyes pleading for release as incoherent words and phrases fell from her mouth.

"Beg," Oliver demanded.

"P-P-Please!" Felicity cried out. "Please, Sir! Please let me come!" She was right there, on the edge of oblivion, so close to falling.

He leaned over her, his lips kissing up her neck until he reached her ear. It sent several more shivers down her spine until he whispered, "Come for me, baby." Her body reacted almost violently. The orgasm that ripped through her shook her to her very core. She convulsed around him and he let go of her wrists, allowing her arms to wrap around his neck holding on tight as she cried his name in absolute ecstasy.

Felicity had never come so hard in her life. As Oliver slowly let her down, she let go of her tight hold around his neck, her body falling limply into the couch cushions. She gazed up at him, taking deep, ragged breaths as he smiled down at her before leaning in for a soft, almost chaste kiss after all they had done that evening. Then he said four magical words: "I'm not done yet."

Without warning, Oliver flipped her so she lay on her stomach. His hands were on her hips a moment later, pulling them upward until her knees rested against the couch cushions. He took her from behind this time, then continued to change positions for the next hour, making Felicity come three more times until her body felt as if it would black out. The man had incredible stamina and control, that was for sure, and it wasn't until the very end that he finally lost it.

"Oh, fuck, Felicity!" he finally cried out, pulling himself out of her wet heat then tearing off the condom. After a few more pumps of his fist, he came, spilling his seed over her stomach and chest just as she floated down from her own orgasm. Oliver sagged into the couch and used his arms to prop himself up so he didn't fall into her.

They sat for several minutes, their chests heaving from the exertion. Felicity ran her fingers through the mess he'd made on her skin before bringing them to her mouth and licking away the somewhat sweet tasting goo off her fingers. "You taste really good," she commented. "Do you eat a lot of fruit?"

"Maybe next time I should have you suck my cock so you can find out," Oliver replied, a sly smile appearing on his lips. He got up off the couch and left the room before she had time to respond.

Felicity lay there, still catching her breath as she watched him return, fully clothed as he'd been when they fucked, which was something that intrigued her. It wasn't often that a client kept his clothes on. There was something under that suit Oliver was afraid to show her. Injuries from his accident, possibly? The questions lingered in her mind as he walked back into his office, washcloth in hand. When he reached her, he gently wiped away the remnants of their lovemaking until she was no longer sticky with semen. Then he grabbed her clothes off the floor beside his desk and began to redress her.

"You don't have to do that," Felicity said as she grabbed the panties he was slipping over her feet and pulled them up her legs.

"I know, but… I want to," Oliver replied, handing over her bra.

After Felicity slipped it on, she turned. "Okay, then. How about making yourself useful and clipping this into place?" she asked, pushing her hair out of the way so he could grab the clasps and do as she asked. His hands lingered, though, and soon he was leaning into her, his lips kissing their way up her shoulder until they reached her neck.

"Why didn't you take off your clothes?" Felicity suddenly asked, feeling the fabric of his suit jacket brush up against her.

"I didn't feel the need," he simply answered. They sat in silence for a few moments, regarding each other as the evening glow of Starling City enveloped them.

"Do you still have those bruises?" Oliver questioned, running his fingers over the patches of skin that were just starting to turn shades of green and yellow beneath heavily applied makeup. Felicity pulled away from him and turned around. She didn't want to answer that question, not after the incredible night they'd just shared, so she stood up and shimmied into her skirt, zipping it up then grabbing her shirt from where it lay in his lap. But he grabbed her wrist and turned her around so they were facing each other again.

"I already know what happened," he quietly said. "Helena keeps me updated on things that go on in the club at the end of each week." Felicity remained mute, so he continued. "I made sure to blacklist the man who did that to you so he would never hurt anyone again."

She nodded. "Thank you," Felicity replied. "And I'm okay. They're fading but don't hurt anymore."

"Good," Oliver said as he stood up. He stepped over to his desk to grab her bag and the folder that held the contract she needed to amend as she buttoned her shirt. They were placed in her hand once she'd smoothed out the wrinkles in the fabric. "Come on," he said, his hand falling to the small of her back as they walked toward the elevator together. "I'll walk you to your car."

They made their way downstairs past the lobby and down into the parking garage where her car was the last one in the lot. As Felicity opened the door and placed her things in the front seat, she turned to him and asked, "Out of the interest of curiosity, what was his name?"

"The man who assaulted you?" Oliver replied, his brows knitting together as he gazed down at her.

"Yeah," she said. "And if you're worried about me hacking into his accounts or turning all his files into porcupine farts, I promise I won't. I'm really good at my job, but I don't use my skills to hurt people. At least not anymore, but even back then, I wasn't actually hurting people. I was just… being a stupid kid. And you really didn't need to know that, so I'll stop before my mouth gets me into anymore trouble."

Her little flub put a weak, albeit confused smile on Oliver's face. He remained mute, though, his stoic face giving away nothing of what was going on inside his head. His hands reached out, falling first on her elbows before slinking down until he entwined his fingers with hers. "I can't tell you, Felicity. I'm sorry," he said. "It's the confidentiality clause in the contract, but if you did a little digging, you'd probably be able to figure it out yourself."

"Really? You're asking me to do my own homework?" she playfully retorted, cocking her head to the side as she stared up at him from behind the rims of her glasses. "Alright, challenge accepted."

"I'm warning you," Oliver added, his eyes turning dark and foreboding, just like his voice.. "You might not like what you find."

"You know you're only making me more curious now, right?"

"I know," he sighed heavily. "Just be careful, okay?"

"I'm a hacker. Careful is my middle name. Actually, it's Megan, but you already knew that," Felicity said with a smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear, I hope I got this chapter right, especially the contract! Please let me know, because I will make sure to edit it and repost with corrections. Otherwise, I hope you enjoyed it.


	8. Chapter 8

Although there was no doubt in her mind Oliver would call Helena and explain everything to her that evening, Felicity decided to head into the club anyway, intent on telling her boss in person that she was finally quitting and getting out of the business. But first, she headed home to take a quick shower and freshen up, putting on a nice shirt and her favorite pair of jeans. She knew Helena would have questions, and Felicity would try to give her as many answers as possible without revealing anything. Unfortunately, she'd already been beaten to the punch.

Felicity knocked on the door before pushing it open with her shoulder to find her boss speaking to someone. "Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt!" Felicity said, but just as she was about to turn and leave, the person sitting across from Helena moved to face her and her jaw dropped. "Oliver?"

"I thought I told you to take the night off," he replied, his brows knitting together.

"You did, but I kinda wanted to talk to Helena about what's happening," Felicity said. "But seeing that you're here, I have a feeling you've already had that discussion."

"So, you finally know," Helena said, her blood red lips smiling. She stood up from her seat and walked over to Felicity. "Oliver might not be willing to tell me how it happened, but I'm not exactly surprised. You've been under his nose all this time. Whatever it took to make him finally see it, I'm glad it happened." She leaned closer and whispered, "I was right, wasn't I?"

"You were," Felicity said, forcing a smile onto her face. 'If only you knew the half of it, though,' she thought.

"You keep in touch, okay?" Helena replied, and in an unexpected move, the older woman wrapped her arms around her former employee.

"Of course I will," Felicity said, hugging her back. "I'll come back in a little bit and we'll discuss a few more things, but right now, I'm gonna go say my goodbyes to everyone else." And with that, she turned and walked out of the room, leaving Helena and Oliver to discuss whatever it was they'd been talking about before she had barged in.

Felicity's first stop was the bar. Barry was standing behind it, drying glasses as he always did before the club opened for business that night. "The bar isn't open yet," he said, a smile wide on his face, devoid of its red mask that made him look even younger than his twenty-five years, "but for you, I'll make an exception." He poured her a glass of her favorite red as she sat down on one of the black leather seats that faced him. "You look happy tonight, Meg. What's up?"

As he set down the glass in front of her, she looked up at him, her smile wavering slightly. "It's, uh… It's the last time I'll be sitting at this bar, hopefully," Felicity said.

"What?" Barry's smile dropped. "Are… Are you quitting? Did you get a better job?"

"I did, actually, both quit and get a better job, doing what I love, which is working with computers," she answered.

His smile returned as he turned around and grabbed another glass off the rack, then poured himself a finger of whiskey. "I'm glad," Barry replied. "You deserve better than this, Megan. I'm happy you're finally moving on to bigger and better things." Their glasses clinked together and they both took a sip of their respective beverages before setting them down on the bartop.

"It's going to be so weird without you here," he said. "Who else will I get to talk nerdy with when it's a slow night?"

"I'm always a phone call away," Felicity suggested. The blush that spread out across his cheeks was adorable. If she hadn't worked here and they had met in a cafe instead, there was a definite possibility that she would have wanted to pursue something with him. But she didn't want to taint Barry. He was a sweet kid with an unfortunate past and he deserved someone better.

Polishing off her wine, she set the glass down on the bartop and stood up. "By the way, my real name is Felicity."

"Felicity," he said, letting her name roll off his tongue. "Happiness… It suits you."

"I guess I'll be seeing you around, Barry." She stood up and walked behind the bar, her arms wrapping around his waist, bringing him close for a tight hug. For a moment, Felicity didn't really want to let go, because she knew she was going to miss him. Barry had been one of the few people who she had really bonded with during her time at Verdant. It was sad to have to leave him behind. "Good luck with school. I know someday you'll make a fantastic CSI."

"Thanks, Felicity," he whispered into her ear before letting go.

They parted ways and she went searching for the only other person she'd become close to at the club. "Hey, Roy!" she said, finding him sitting on the stairs that led to the public side of Verdant.

"Casual Monday?" he quipped, seeing the way she was dressed that evening.

"No, actually, I'm leaving."

"You're leaving? Where are you going?" Roy asked, standing up.

"Yeah, I finally got the job I wanted so there's no need for me to stick around here anymore," Felicity explained with a smile.

"Megan! What! You're leaving me? Say it ain't so!" he playfully whined before wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. "I'm happy for you. Although it's definitely not going to be the same here without you."

"You'll manage," Felicity replied, giving his shoulder a pat. "Besides, there are plenty of girls around here who wouldn't mind talking to you."

"Except they wouldn't want to talk," Roy said wryly. "You're the only one who actually talked to me. I'm gonna miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Roy," she said. "And don't worry, I'll stop by every once in a while to see how you and Barry are doing."

"So, this new job… Tell me about it," he said as he motioned for her to follow. They walked down the long corridor leading to the employee entrance. Beside it was a large trash bag full of garbage Roy needed to throw out before the night began. He hefted it onto his shoulder while Felicity pushed the door open for him.

"You actually won't believe me when I tell you who I'm working for. And it's not to say I wasn't working for him before, because I was. It's just that now I'll actually be working  _with_ him instead of being one of the many I.T. grunts in his company," Felicity rattled on before she felt Roy's hand on her shoulder.

He'd set the heavy bag down and was now staring at her. "Then just tell me," he said.

She hesitated for a moment before replying, "Oliver Queen."

His hand immediately fell from her shoulder as his eyes widened. "You're working for my girlfriend's brother?" Roy asked in disbelief.

She nodded. "I've been working for Queen Consolidated for the last three years, actually. I got the promotion today. Just need to sign the contract and I guess you can say my soul belongs to Oliver Queen."

"Wow, that's… Wow," Roy said, pulling her out the door with him and into the chill of the evening air. He grabbed the bag again as they walked to the dumpster a few feet away at the end of the alley. "So what exactly will you be doing for him?"

"You're looking at the new Director of the Applied Sciences department," Felicity beamed.

"And you've already told Helena?" Roy threw open the lid of the dumpster before chucking the trash bag inside. It closed with a loud bang, and he wiped his hands on his pants before turning back to Felicity.

"Yep. I'm just here to grab a few of my things before I say my last goodbyes to everyone, then it's off to live the dream."

Roy looked at her for several long moments, a smile slowly curling onto his lips. "I'm glad something good's finally happened to you," he said. "You've definitely earned it."

"Aww, Roy! You're getting all sappy on me!" she giggled, giving his chest a playful slap.

"Yeah, well, don't go telling anyone."

"Promise I won't."

And with that, they hugged again before re-entering the club. Felicity headed for the dressing room while Roy headed to the main lounge to start his shift. After grabbing the few things she kept there, she said her goodbyes to the rest of the girls getting ready to go out on the floor and made her way back to Helena's office.

"Well," Felicity said, stepping up to the desk. She was relieved to find that Oliver had already left. "It's time for me to go."

Helena walked out from behind it. "I'm proud of you," she replied. "You're finally getting everything you deserve."

"I know, but it still comes with a price," Felicity admitted with a sigh as she sagged against one of the chairs without falling into it even though she wanted to.

"What do you mean?" Helena asked as she leaned on the side of the desk, giving Felicity a curious glance.

"I mean," the blonde nervously replied, "Oliver didn't just give me the job because I'm qualified for it."

"Felicity, what did you do?" The tone of Helena's voice had changed dramatically. Gone was the playful note she'd had when Felicity first walked in. It had been replaced by a deep level of concern.

She and Helena shared a special bond over bad experiences with past lovers and more issues than a magazine. Felicity counted her as one of the few friends she had, so she couldn't keep the decision a secret from her.

"Look, I know he was at the club last week with his girlfriend," Felicity admitted. "And I know you paired him up with me specifically because he asked. But what you don't know is that two nights before, I fixed his laptop."

She gave her a questioning gaze and asked, "What's so bad about fixing his laptop?"

"I guess I made some kind of impression because after that, he started doing his homework on me. And by homework I mean he dug into my past and found the things I've been trying to hide."

"You mean Cooper Seldon, the ex-boyfriend from hell?"

Just mentioning his name made Felicity cringe. They had been college sweethearts, but after a botched attempt at hacking into a government database, things had quickly gone south. Memories of him still haunted her, but she refused to let them control her life. "Yeah. That's exactly who I'm talking about. But apparently Oliver's a decent guy. He didn't use it against me. He even promised not to ask me about it until I actually told him, but he wanted to buy me coffee as a thank you for fixing his computer."

"That's Oliver for ya…" Helena muttered.

Felicity chose to ignore her and continued. "So we went to get some coffee, and mind you, this was the day after that psycho tried to choke me, so the only thing I could use to cover the bruises was my scarf."

"Shit…" Helena hissed before immediately reaching out to take Felicity's chin in her hands and inspect it. The fingerprints were still there, but they'd been expertly covered by makeup. "He saw the bruises, didn't he?"

"He did," Felicity confirmed, pulling her face out of Helena's grasp. "And then that night, when Sara started touching me, I got a little jumpy because everything still hurt, and she made me take off the stage makeup. That's when he figured out it was me."

"Damn it… Felicity… If I'd only known," Helena tried to apologize, but Felicity's hand went up to stop her.

"That's not all," she said.

"Oh, no…" Helena breathed, her eyes quickly flicking up to hers to see the guilt Felicity had hidden from everyone else. "He didn't sleep with you… did he?"

Felicity looked down at her shoes, unable to look her friend in the eye as she replied, "He did…"

"Excuse me," Helena huffed as she began to stand. "I need to go have a pointed conversation with Oliver Queen."

Grabbing her wrist, Felicity pulled her back. "It's not what you think!" she exclaimed.

"Did he force you to sleep with him after he found out who you were?" Helena's voice had an angry edge to it, one born from years of experience dealing with men who took advantage of women when they were at their most vulnerable. Her hands were clenched into fists and if she were a cartoon, Felicity was sure there would be steam coming out of her ears at this point.

"No!" Felicity sharply answered, standing up along with her to try and get her to calm down. "It's not like that. When Oliver and Sara were here the other night, he said he didn't even look at me after he realized who I was. Instead, he let Sara do as she pleased and then they left, which is really strange, but whatever floats your boat, right?" Felicity huffed out a little laugh, but the look in Helena's eyes still seemed murderous.

"Sorry," Felicity added. "It happened tonight, but only after he politely asked me to help him first. He and Sara are having relationship issues and Oliver thought bringing someone in, specifically me, as a sub would help them out. And he gave me time to think it over, so I drew up a contract over the weekend and we went over it today. That's why I'm quitting. And because he agreed to pay off my debts too."

Helena stood there staring at her, her eyes boring into Felicity. There was no way of telling what was going on in her head from the stoic expression on her face. Then she sighed. "I guess it's not as bad as I thought it would be," Helena said, her body deflating a bit as she leaned back against her desk again. "It's still bad, though," she added, looking up sharply at Felicity. "I mean, I wanted you to get out of this life, not get sucked back into it."

"I only have to stick it out for six months. And I made sure to specify that if it doesn't work out, I don't lose my job or the money he promised to pay off my loans."

"Well, I'll give you one thing," Helena said.

Felicity cocked her head as she stared at her friend. "What's that?" she asked, slightly curious as to what else Helena had to say.

"He won't screw you over if things don't work out. Actually, he'll try to give you more," she answered.

"How do you know?" Felicity questioned.

"How do you think I got this club?" Helena retorted.

That was a surprising development Felicity hadn't seen coming. Her eyes went wide, shock clearly present on her face. "Really? What happened?"

"It didn't work out between us, so we terminated our contract amicably. The original deal was just money, but after Tommy's death, Oliver wanted to do right by him, so he made me a partner. After a while, it got to be too much for him, so he just signed the entire thing over to me and became a silent partner. We've had a really good business relationship ever since."

"That's interesting. Although I should have seen it coming. I mean, he did try to write me a check before I asked him to give me time to think about things, and it would have been for more than my student loans. But that's not what I wanted. I told him that wasn't what I wanted. I told him I wanted a better position and he dropped the Applied Sciences department right into my lap, so that's how I ended up with the job I've always wanted," Felicity explained.

"Well, rest assured, if I know Oliver (and I do), you'll be keeping that job. I highly doubt he's going to give up an asset like you. I've seen what you can do with a computer. Hell, most of the time, if it wasn't for you, I'd be screwed. So don't worry about that. What I'm more worried about is what'll happen in the bedroom," Helena said.

"What do you mean?" Felicity hesitantly asked.

"I mean, Oliver can be a handful if you're not careful."

"But, I am careful. I know my limits."

"You also have to remember that there won't be any security to pull you out if things get too rough."

"I know. Believe me, I do know. Last week wasn't the first time I've had someone all over me. I've been able to defend myself in the past. I should be able to defend myself from Oliver Queen if it comes down to it."

"Oh, I'm not worried about Oliver. I'm talking about Sara Lance. She's the one I'd be very careful around."

"Why's that?"

"Because she can snap your neck like a twig."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, I know this was a short chapter, but it sets things up for future chapters. Think of it as a stepping stone. There are some subtle things that will turn out to be important later on in the story, so don't overlook it.


	9. Chapter 9

Felicity's nights off were as rare as her sick days. If she could work through a cold, she would, and she'd never complain, but not being sick made tonight even better. She curled up on her couch with a glass of her favorite red wine and the revised contract, fully intent on making the changes Oliver requested before heading off to bed. They didn't take more than a couple of minutes, giving her several uninterrupted hours to do as she pleased.

With a DVR full of recorded TV shows she had yet to watch, Felicity set about scrolling through the content, picking a crime drama she hadn't watched in a while. She hit play and settled in for the evening, feet curled up beneath her favorite blanket. The particular episode she watched was about a woman being stalked by an ex-boyfriend, something that gave her the chills, especially the way the actress described what she felt whenever he was around.

The feeling of being watched, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end, sensing someone lurking in the shadows; they conjured up Felicity's recent spate of strange experiences she'd been trying to ignore for the last few days, but it was getting harder and harder to do so. Just as she'd parked her car that evening, she'd felt a presence somewhere close by watching her. And just as the woman on her TV screen described, it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end until she entered her apartment.

Grabbing her laptop, Felicity booted it up as the show continued to play in the background. A hunch told her to check out Verdant's records for the night of her assault, then Oliver's words came to mind.

_"I'm warning you,"_  he'd said, his tone dark and foreboding.  _"You might not like what you find."_

It had piqued her curiosity and made Felicity wonder why he was being so protective of her. Whoever this guy was, she could probably handle him better than most people. After all, she'd spent half her life hacking. It wouldn't be too hard to find this guy and give him a taste of his own metaphorical medicine, and it had nothing to do with porcupine farts. No, she'd get into his financials and "donate" a substantial amount into a fund for abused women.

Breaking into Verdant's system was a cinch. Felicity had created the system herself, after all, as a favor to Helena for taking her on as a new girl when nobody else would hire her. She'd proved her worth on several occasions after that, helping with any and all IT problems including those of her coworkers. All of them had come to her at one point or another with dead cell phones, virus filled laptops, and the occasional fried desktop. She'd fixed them all in no time and earned a little more cash on the side.

Tonight, Felicity used that knowledge to worm her way into Helena's encrypted files, seeking out the names of the people who had signed contracts that previous Wednesday. Easy enough, she thought, until she hit a road block. Her file had either never been entered that night or someone had gone in and deleted it. Scouring the data on the hard drive once, twice, three times, Felicity was willing to bet it had probably been erased. What else explain why her entries were there for Tuesday and Thursday? She tried to find evidence that the file had been edited, but not a single person aside from Helena had access to that computer.

Unless…

"Damn it," Felicity muttered under her breath. "Oliver." He'd told her he'd blacklisted the guy from ever setting foot inside the club, so of course he knew who it was. Now her curiosity had spiked to the point of madness.

Felicity decided searching through the security camera footage might help her cause. Starting with the exterior cameras first, she found it was damn near impossible to see anyone's face if they didn't look directly at the camera. She tried to find the guy based on what he was wearing that night and got a hit, but just as she'd suspected, he hadn't looked at the camera. He'd also avoided the ones that followed him down the hall to Helena's office, which had no cameras for privacy purposes.

After fast forwarding the footage to the moment he stepped out of her office, Felicity finally got a glimpse of his face. It was just a flash, but pausing and rewinding got her enough of a profile to run facial recognition software, something she knew was questionably legal, but at this point she was desperate. There was something familiar about that face, even if the camera was slightly grainy. She'd seen it somewhere before, but she couldn't put a finger on where.

Leaving the software to do its thing, Felicity headed to her small kitchen to grab the take out she'd picked up on her way home. It was simple, spaghetti with meat sauce, but it was from her favorite hole-in-the-wall Italian place and that's what made the difference. She watched a little more of her crime drama: the suspect had finally been apprehended with the woman's help. She'd offered herself up as bait and the police had managed to catch him just as he was about to kill her.

It made Felicity shiver. She'd had a stalker during her freshman year of college, but thankfully he'd been a harmless lacrosse player she'd been able to scare off on her own without involving campus security or the police. But those strange feelings she'd been having these past few days were starting to make her think that maybe it was happening again. Unfortunately she had no evidence to back that up, yet, so she'd continue to live her life and ignore it. If things escalated, she wasn't afraid to involve Oliver and Sara, but until then, she'd keep mum about it. No use in scaring the people she was about to start living with.

The laptop pinged then, pulling Felicity out of her thoughts. The facial recognition program she'd been using hadn't found a match in the SCPD database.

"Damn," she muttered under her breath. Felicity was about ready to start searching the national and international databases when she noticed something poking out from beneath the bottom of her door. She got up to inspect the little white sheet of paper and found it to be an envelope. It was about five by seven inches and thicker than the usual letters that came through her mailbox. The top read "To Miss Smoak" in elegant handwriting she didn't recognize.

Ripping open the flap, she discovered a delicate card made from craft cardstock that looked like old and heavily worn notebook paper with a little crown stamped in gold ink, and chipboard letters that spelled out "From Your Secret Admirer." It creeped Felicity out slightly, especially after she'd watched that crime drama, but the little crown on top made her think that maybe Oliver was trying to butter her up a bit more. But they'd already agreed to sign the contract...

Opening the card, she found a typed note that read:

"To the most beautiful girl that I've ever seen, both inside and out: you deserve someone whose love for you spans the spectrum of a hundred Peruvian lilies. Love, your secret admirer."

Felicity immediately went to open the door just in case her "secret admirer" was still outside waiting for her. Instead she found a bouquet of those exact flowers sitting on her front step, their yellow, pink, purple, red, and orange shades that looked dark and muted beneath her tiny porch light. She reached down and picked them up, bringing them into her apartment as she sniffed the bouquet and smiled involuntarily. It had been quite some time since she'd received flowers, and even if this was slightly creepy, she appreciated the gesture.

They were already sitting in a pretty vintage white porcelain vase, so she set them down on her kitchen table and stepped back for a moment to admire then. Although Peruvian lilies were gorgeous, they'd fallen out of favor with her after Cooper had retreated from her life. Felicity had fallen in love with daffodils, their yellow color reminding her of the sunshine she fought to bring back into her life after all the trials and tribulations she'd faced in her past.

Turning back to her laptop, Felicity decided to give her hacking a rest for the night and turned in early. There was a lot to do tomorrow, much of it revolving around projects she needed to finish for Ed followed by a meeting with Oliver to discuss not only the contract, but also what her new position at Queen Consolidated would entail and what her duties outside the office consisted of.

But as she slipped beneath her covers and snuggled into her pillow, Felicity's thoughts drifted back to earlier that evening and what had happened in Oliver's office. She couldn't help reliving that incredible moment, feeling the power behind each thrust of his hips. It made her wet just thinking about it and her hand found its way beneath her pajama pants and between her thighs. She started stroking herself through her panties, her arousal quickly soaking them to the point where she decided to just take everything off and sleep naked.

Even completely nude, Felicity wasn't able to stop touching herself as the memory replayed over and over. She changed the details every now and then, fantasizing about how Oliver's cock would taste if she got the chance to suck it. Or what his body looked like beneath all that fine Italian wool. He had to be built judging from the deep lines of the veins running along his forearms that she'd only gotten a peek of over the weekend. Felicity could fantasize about those arms all night if she wanted to. They were strong and firm and felt oh so incredible holding her.

And the way Oliver used his hands… Damn. Her finger slipped between her folds, stroking her clit as she closed her eyes and chewed on her lower lip. Felicity was building herself up to an impressive orgasm. It would only be a matter of time before she forced herself over the edge, and she wanted this to last just a little longer. So she slowed down, forcing her mind to focus on the way his lips had felt against her mouth and her skin.

Oliver Queen was an incredible kisser. As soon as their lips had touched, Felicity found herself under his spell almost immediately. The way he'd licked and sucked and flicked his tongue along the seam of her mouth; she could never get enough. It suddenly made her wish he was in bed with her right now. Maybe tomorrow night it would be different. Maybe tomorrow night he'd undress her and fuck her the way she wanted to be fucked.

The anticipation was killing her. Suddenly Felicity needed more than just her hand, so she reached into the drawer beside her bed and pulled out her favorite thick, purple dildo and her bullet vibrator. There was no need for lube tonight. It slipped easily between her folds. One thrust and it disappeared deep into her slick cunt, filling her up almost as much as Oliver had. Clicking on the vibrator, she pressed it to her clit and felt her hips immediately jump at the sensation.

For the next several minutes she lay there, the blanket thrown to the side, her body thrusting up against the thick, purple silicone buried deep inside her as the vibrator sent pleasure-filled jolts up her spine. Felicity then rolled over onto her stomach and grabbed one of her old textbooks from off her nightstand and pressed the suction cup base of the dildo onto it. She continued fucking herself, one hand teasing her clit with the vibrator while the other fondled her breasts, pinching and rolling her nipples until they were stiff little peaks.

Her fantasies intensified to images of Oliver tying her up and riding her hard, maybe even slapping her ass a few times just to make her moan and cry out in pleasure. If she wanted to, Felicity would do it herself, but she liked it when someone else spanked her. Her hand didn't have the power of a man's hand, therefore making it useless in arousing her, so she humped the dildo harder, faster, and turned up the vibrations on her clit.

The effect was immediate. Little white stars began to appear behind her eyelids as she squeezed her eyes shut, focusing on the intense pleasure that flooded her system. Felicity chewed on her lower lip as moan after moan escaped her throat. The images she focused on were of riding Oliver's cock in her current position as Sara played with her breasts and clit. God, what she wouldn't give for it to be happening now.

Felicity could only hope that her first night with the couple would be just as good as it had been when they fucked her separately. Sara had done an incredible job eating her out while Oliver had rocked her world with one of the best fucks of her life. Imaging the two in bed together managed to push her over the edge as she pressed the vibrator as hard as she could against her clit while slamming her body down on the dildo. The orgasm that ripped through every fiber of her being was strong, hot, and fast. She trembled beneath its power, crying out as she fell face first into her pillow, her body sinking down on top of the purple silicone from exhaustion.

Sated and sweating, Felicity turned off the vibrator, gently removing it from her overly sensitive clit before extricating the dildo from between her legs. What was left of her arousal dripped down the insides of her thighs, but she was too exhausted to wipe herself off. Instead, she let everything drop to the side of her bed and decided she'd deal with it in the morning. Right now, sleep was finally calling, and Felicity answered, her eyes fluttering shut before unconsciousness completely enveloped her.

Sunshine streaming through her windows awoke Felicity the next morning. She was still laying on her stomach, her body aching in the best ways possible. But she wasn't exhausted. Actually, she felt energized and ready to tackle the day with a tenacity she hadn't felt in ages. For the first time in her life, she was excited about the changes the day would bring.

After everything that had happened last night, Felicity realized she was ready for a change. Today would be the first day of a new life she'd been waiting to start. It might not have gone the way she'd wanted it to, but at least now she had the job she deserved instead of working under someone else's thumb.

According to her clock, Felicity still had another hour before her alarm went off, but she decided to get up early anyway. A shower was definitely in order, as was a change of bedding since she'd soaked it through with her arousal the previous night. After replacing her soiled sheets with fresh ones, she wandered into her bathroom and turned on the shower, letting it warm up since the water heater started acting up the week prior. It gave Felicity just enough time to brush her teeth before stepping beneath the warm spray and washing off the remnants of her one woman show the night before.

Following her shower, she grabbed her favorite outfit: a black wool pencil skirt paired with an emerald green silk blouse. Beneath it she wore a matching set of lingerie, all black lace with emerald green ribbon accents to match her shirt, and thigh high black stockings that attached to a garter belt. If Oliver decided he wanted one more round with her that night after signing the contract, she wanted to make sure she looked as sexy as possible. After all, he deserved a little tease for all his efforts the previous day.

By the time she was dressed and ready, her alarm was just going off. There was another hour left of her morning before she needed to head to work, so Felicity decided to grab a real breakfast instead of just coffee and a bagel.

The little cafe across the street from Queen Consolidated was packed that morning, mostly with customers just grabbing their breakfasts to go. Only a few of the tables were occupied with patrons that had decided to take a break from the corporate hustle and bustle. After standing in line for about ten minutes, Felicity ordered her large latte and a breakfast bagel filled with turkey sausage, scrambled eggs, and melted cheddar cheese before heading to the table in the back where she'd sat with Oliver the previous week. It was quiet there, allowing her to read through the morning paper on her tablet until her food was brought out to her.

Felicity was a quarter of the way through an interesting article about the future of information technology when her breakfast bagel was slid in front of her on a white porcelain plate followed by her coffee. "Thank you," she absently replied without looking up from her tablet until someone sat down across from her.

"Fancy meeting you here," a familiar voice said and her head shot up, blue eyes meeting azure.

"Oliver!" she exclaimed, a smile instantly appearing on her fuchsia lips. "What are you doing here?" Her tablet was turned off and set aside, allowing her attention to focus on him. He was dressed in a dark grey suit that day with a sapphire silk tie that brought out the color of his eyes.

"Sara was hungry, so we decided to stop in for some coffee and a little breakfast before heading off to work," Oliver said. "Then I spotted you over here and thought I'd say hello."

"You two are welcome to join me if you'd like," Felicity offered, pulling her bag off the extra seat she'd placed it on.

"Are you sure? We wouldn't want to impose."

"No, of course you're not! I mean, after today, we'll practically be living together, so I might as well get used to it," she said in a low tone so only he could hear.

"I'll go get Sara, then," he replied, giving her that dazzling smile before getting up to find his girlfriend. Oliver returned a few minutes later with two coffees in hand along with a small bag filled with croissants and butter.

"Felicity!" Sara excitedly squealed before throwing her arms around the shorter blonde and enveloping her in an unexpected hug.

"Whoa, okay… Um…" Felicity replied, her entire body going stiff. She hadn't expected Sara to act that way. For a trained ex-military veteran, she was definitely different.

"Sorry," Sara giggled. "I'm just excited to see you, and very happy that you've accepted our offer. I've always wanted someone else to play with, and after Thursday night, I just had to have you."

Felicity's face fell, but she recovered quickly, hoping no one had seen the disappointment lurking in her eyes at Sara's words. But Oliver noticed. His eyes narrowed and he grabbed Sara's wrist, giving it a squeeze. Her head whipped in his direction, blue eyes shooting daggers at him until his gaze flicked in Felicity's direction. They seemed to have an entire conversation through only facial expressions, something she found intriguing and a bit disconcerting.

It was obvious to Felicity these two shared a connection, one that she felt she'd never share with anyone ever again, not after what had happened with Cooper. He'd left her heart a cold and barren wasteland, ripe for the jobs she'd take on in order to pay her debts. At least she could take solace in the fact that getting hurt wouldn't be much of an issue. No attachments meant no feelings, and no feelings allowed her to do what she needed to do.

But there were days like today when Felicity realized all she'd ever be seen as was property, a toy for another person to play with, and it hurt more than she cared to admit. All the preconceived notions she'd had the night before were quickly ripped away like a bandage, leaving a raw and open wound for all to see. Now she knew exactly what to expect for the next six months, so she steeled herself for what was to come, closing down emotionally so that whatever she felt on the inside would never show on the outside.

Together they ate their breakfast in peace, with Oliver and Sara making up most of the conversation while Felicity sat and simply listened to them, learning their little nuances. She didn't notice many this morning, but one that stood out to her was the way Sara sat with her body facing towards the restaurant, observing her surroundings and assessing possible threats even as she spoke. Her eyes constantly scanned the cafe, watching the door or the patrons as the commotion ebbed and flowed.

Oliver, on the other hand, seemed perpetually tense. He, too, looked as if he was scanning for threats. Why, Felicity had no idea. Maybe it was a product of being with Sara. Maybe it was something else. Either way, she'd find out soon enough. She had six months of living with them to figure it all out, if that was even possible.

"So, how are you doing?" The conversation quickly turned to Felicity as both sets of eyes fell on her. The question came from Sara and Felicity shrugged.

"I'm okay," she said. "Just getting ready for a busy work day."

"What exactly do you do? Ollie told me you fixed his laptop. Are you some kind of computer repair person?"

"Actually, I graduated from MIT with a masters in Cyber Security and Computer Sciences, but my current position makes me an I.T. grunt, so I mostly fix computer-related problems," Felicity explained.

Sara then turned to her boyfriend and whacked him across the chest with her arm. "Why didn't you tell me she was a security specialist?"

"Because I know what you would have done," Oliver snidely replied.

"It's not like I've stolen that many of your employees," Sara said as she rolled her eyes. He trained her with an angry glare and she added, "Okay, so maybe I have, but you have to admit, they were better suited to my company's needs than yours."

"Alright, I'll give you that much, but I need Felicity to stay with Queen Consolidated. She's the new head of our Applied Sciences department," he explained.

"Which is something I am very grateful for, by the way," Felicity chimed in. Then it hit her. "And since we're on the topic of jobs, I figured now would be a good time to look at our contract once more before we have it signed and notarized." She reached into her bag and pulled out the freshly printed documents, handing Oliver and Sara each their own copy.

He pulled out a pen and simply scrawled his name at the bottom of the last page without giving it a second glance. "Wait, aren't you going to look it over?" Felicity asked when he handed it back to her with a smile.

"No need. I trust that you've made the changes we agree upon last night," he said.

"Just so you know, I have made the amendments we discussed. They include living arrangements and the possibility of pregnancy. I also added a clause about personal time. Should I start feeling overwhelmed by our arrangement, I am allowed to go back to my apartment for whatever reason, no questions asked, and return to your place after a twenty-four hour period during which we can discuss what's going on and why I feel the way I do, but at a neutral location like a restaurant or cafe. Is that okay?" Felicity asked.

"That's perfectly fine. I understand your need for personal space. Some days we require it as well. Just as long as you come back to us after that twenty-four hour period, it's alright with me," Oliver replied. "Sara, are you okay with that?"

"Of course! We've done the personal time thing quite a lot in our relationship and it helps to unwind after the crazy moments," Sara answered. She grabbed Oliver's pen off the table and proceeded to sign her copy as well before handing to Felicity.

"Wow… Okay," Felicity said, her gaze shifting between the two of them. "I guess all that's left is to get this notarized and for us to go over a few of the less formal details like the living arrangements."

"Meet us for dinner tonight," Oliver said. "We can discuss the details then."

"It's a date!" Felicity said, almost a little too quickly before her brain finally caught up. "Well, not a  _date_ date, but…"

"Oh, it's a  _date_ date," Sara chimed in with a charming smile. "Dress appropriately," she added with a wink before standing up and dusting her hands off her dark jean clad thighs. She was wearing the same outfit as she had been the first time they'd met, and Felicity realized it was her work uniform.

'Go figure,' she thought.

"I'd better be on my way," Sara said. "Got another snotty trust fund baby to deal with today."

"I'll see you tonight," Oliver replied, standing up along with her then brushing a chaste kiss to her cheek, one Felicity figured looked friendly to anyone who didn't know they were together, which was the point.

Sara made her way out of the crowded cafe and out to the street, leaving Oliver and Felicity alone at the table. They sat in silence for a few more moments, until it became increasingly uncomfortable. At that point, Felicity grabbed her napkin and wiped her mouth of any crumbs that might have gotten stuck to her bright magenta lipstick.

"Well, I'd better be on my way too," she said, dropping the napkin on the table and grabbing her bag before she stood up.

Oliver followed. "I'll walk with you," he said, his hand immediately falling to the small of her back as they made their way through the still crowded cafe. He navigated them outside to the sidewalk, his hand never leaving her back even as they stood at the crosswalk waiting for the light to change.

Felicity fiddled with an errant string hanging from the cuff of her shirt, avoiding the way his eyes had settled on her.

"What's wrong?" Oliver quietly asked as the little figure on the light pole changed from orange to white and they began to walk across the street toward the entrance to Queen Consolidated.

"What? Nothing's wrong," Felicity quickly replied even though it sounded fake to her own ears. "What makes you think something's wrong?" she added with an all too bright smile that looked just as fake as her voice sounded.

"I saw it in your eyes," he said, leading her up the stairs towards the doors, his hand still firmly planted at the base of her spine.

If she wasn't feeling so hurt, Felicity would have shivered, but instead, she replied, "I'm fine."

"Please don't lie to me," Oliver said, but it sounded more like an order. His hand pulled away from her back and wrapped around her wrist, spinning her so she faced him. They stood off to the side, away from all the foot traffic stepping through the doors in a quiet little alcove far from prying eyes.

Felicity nibbled on her lower lip, her eyes slowly rising to meet his. He was giving her that harsh look as he'd given Sara, only his eyes were softer. "It's nothing," she sighed. "Really, it's nothing." She turned, intent on dropping the subject, but he continued to hold her wrist, gently pulling her back once more.

"I want you to know," Oliver said, "that you're not a toy. Not to me or to Sara. She's still adjusting to civilian life, so sometimes she says things that sound harsh but aren't. Don't ever think you're less than human. You're smart, you're beautiful, and you can hold your own. To me, that makes you a valuable part of my life."

He was close, oh so very close, close enough that she could smell the scent of his cologne: lavender, amber, and sandalwood. The combination made Felicity swoon, and coupled with his words, she could have kissed Oliver at that moment if they weren't out in public. Instead she settled on a warm smile that finally reached her eyes and a squeeze of his hands, which she'd taken hold of as he talked.

Oliver smiled back at her, his body angling lower. For a moment, she thought he'd be the one to initiate the kiss, but instead, his lips brushed against her cheek before he pulled away. "Come on, we need to get to work," he whispered against her ear before taking her hand and pulling her away from the alcove. He reluctantly let it go a moment later once they were back in the public eye. Together they walked through the doors and headed up to their respective offices.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! So this is the chapter you've all been waiting for! The big threesome! Hope you like it!
> 
> Sorry it took so long to post. I'm sick as a dog right now so I'm trying really hard not to puke all over my keyboard as I type this.

It took Felicity an hour to figure out what to wear that evening to dinner, and she still wasn't happy with her choice. She had a closet full of clothing, but nothing suitable for dinner with two of the richest people in Starling City. Earlier that afternoon, she'd agreed to let Oliver pick her up, but without a dress, that would be pretty hard to do. A knock at the door forced her to stop throwing things onto her bed in hopes of finding something worthy of an expensive dinner.

She hadn't brought up the bouquet of flowers or the card that day. Felicity wanted to keep those to herself for now, figuring she'd find out more on her own than if she enlisted any help from Oliver or Sara. Besides, if it turned out to be nothing, she'd look like a fool. It didn't stop her from cautiously peeking through the peephole in her door to find Oliver standing there dressed in his suit from earlier that morning with a simple white box under his arm.

"Shit!" Felicity cursed under her breath. "Shit! Shit! Shit!" She began throwing things into the small closet in the hall, hoping to clean up a bit before she went to open the door. Piles of computer parts, trash bags that should have been taken to the dumpster ages ago, and empty take out boxes were strewn all over the floor alongside piles of discarded clothing. Felicity mentally kicked herself for not picking up the night before, when she'd actually had time to clean, but it was too late now.

"Just a minute!" she called out, letting him know she was on her way, albeit slightly preoccupied.

Finally making her small apartment look somewhat presentable, Felicity rushed to the door and threw it open, forgetting she was still in her robe.

"I hope you're not wearing that to dinner," Oliver said as his eyes scanned her up and down. "Although, I won't lie, the stockings are quite sexy."

"Shit!" she squeaked, rushing toward her bedroom.

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" he called her back. Felicity reluctantly turned around to see him holding the box out to her. "I figured you'd need something for this evening, so I had Sara pick out a dress for you. I'm pretty sure this is your size, otherwise I'm going to feel like an idiot."

She took the box from him, studying it carefully before lifting the lid to find a dress wrapped in white tissue paper. As she peeled back the pillowy layers, emerald silk appeared before her eyes. Slowly, Felicity picked the dress up out of the box and studied it. Her eyes went wide when she realized it was a couture piece from one of the boutiques near Queen Consolidated. She'd spotted it the previous week while leaving the shoe store across the street.

"This dress costs more than my apartment," she whispered, gazing up at him in shock.

Oliver shrugged. "It's nothing. I just wanted to make sure you looked gorgeous tonight, even though you'd probably look gorgeous in a paper sack."

"You do know flattery is useless at this point," Felicity replied, draping the dress over her arm. "We've already signed the contract. You don't have to keep complimenting me."

"I'm not lying," Oliver said. "You are gorgeous."

A flush rose on Felicity's cheeks and she quickly turned, rushing down the hall to throw the dress over the sexy underwear she still wore beneath her robe. The black pumps she'd bought the previous week came out of their box for the first time, and she instantly found herself five inches taller than before. Although she still didn't reach Oliver's impressive height, at least now they were a little more evenly matched than before.

With her blonde hair held up by a jeweled clip and her makeup already done, Felicity finally stepped out of her bedroom and into the hall where Oliver stood waiting for her. The clicking of her heels alerted him to her arrival and he turned from where he was examining the rows of books in her tiny library. His eyes widened when he saw her and she knew the floor length gown had definitely been the right choice. It accentuated every curve of her body from her breasts to her ass. Yep, he and Sara had definitely done well.

"Wow," Oliver breathed. "You look… incredible."

"Thank you," Felicity replied, feeling a slight blush creep onto her cheeks. She grabbed the small black clutch with her phone, ID's, and her keys already inside and headed for the door. There she grabbed a black shawl to wrap around her shoulders, keeping the chill of the cool autumn air away from her skin.

Oliver's hand wandered to the small of her back, which lay bare to accommodate for the design of the dress. Thick swaths of fabric crisscrossed her shoulders, hiding the straps of her lacy black bra. She could feel the heat radiating from his palm straight into her skin, and it sent a shiver down her spine.

A black limousine waited at the curb, the driver standing stoically beside the door, waiting for them. He opened it and Felicity slid in first, her dress allowing her to glide across the seat until she was pressed up against the curve of the leather couch. Oliver slid in beside her and with a soft  _thunk_ , the door was closed. Across from her sat Sara, also wearing a couture dress, only hers fell to her knees and was the inky color of the sky just before sunrise.

"Hello, gorgeous," she said, giving Felicity a mischievous smile. "I was wondering what took so long. I thought for a second there Ollie was going in for a second helping."

"Oh, no," Felicity was quick to deny. "No second helpings of anything. It just took me a little longer than expected to get ready. Sorry if we're late to the restaurant."

"We're early, actually," Sara replied. She slid beside Felicity on the warm leather seat, her hand falling to the stretch of thigh her dress's slit exposed. It was warm against her skin, and softer than she'd expected from a military veteran.

As Sara's fingers crept higher, Felicity's body tensed. This was the last thing she expected to happen before dinner that evening. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier," Sara murmured against her ear before her lips fell to Felicity's jaw. She inhaled sharply, the sudden sensation causing her body to shudder warmly. "You like that, baby girl?" Sara asked, kissing a line down her throat to her collarbone.

"I… Oh!" Felicity moaned when the hand that had been on her thigh reached up to cup her breast, giving it a gentle squeeze through the fabric of her dress. Her head rolled back against the plush leather, giving Sara more access to her neck, which she devoured greedily with her mouth.

"FYI," she murmured against her pulse point, "I can be a little horn dog sometimes. It's what happens when you've been stuck in the military for as long as I have. All your repressed sexual desires come out in droves." Sara continued lavishing kisses on her neck as Felicity raised her head to meet Oliver's eyes.

He sat on his end of the limousine simply watching them, one arm slung over the back of the seat while the other lay limply in his lap. But she could see the fire in his eyes, all passion and lust waiting to be unleashed. Felicity found herself reaching out to him, silently asking if he'd like to join them. Without hesitation, he took her outstretched hand, lacing their fingers together, and brought it to his lips.

"I think we should skip dinner and go straight to dessert," Sara purred, her tongue snaking out, tracing the shell of Felicity's ear. Without warning, her hand slipped beneath the neckline of her dress and wrapped around her breast.

Felicity moaned again and her eyes fluttered shut. Feeling Sara fondle her as Oliver's lips trekked up her arm, pausing to suck kisses into her elbow, her brain decided to shut off, giving over to her baser instincts and enjoying the attention they lavished on her. No longer was she thinking about dinner. Her mind became occupied with just how much pleasure these two could bring her and how much she could bring them.

Oliver nipped the skin along the inside of her arm causing her to gasp. Sara took advantage of her momentary distraction, moving her lips from Felicity's neck to her mouth. The kiss started out slow, simmering for minutes as Sara simply caressed her lips, sucking, licking, playing with them. But it wasn't long before it became demanding, her hand reaching into Felicity's hair to tilt her head up. As Sara licked the seam of her mouth, Felicity's lips parted, giving her full access.

At that same moment, Oliver's hand found its way beneath the slit of her dress and dipped between her thighs, cupping her through the delicate lace of her panties. The heat radiating from his palm made her back arch and her hips grind against him, seeking out more friction.

This had to be a dream, Felicity thought to herself. How else could she be sandwiched between two of the richest and most gorgeous people in Starling City at that moment? But then Sara nipped her bottom lip and she knew she wasn't dreaming. This was real. She was about to sleep with both of them, and she couldn't wait.

Sara's apology had managed to soften her up, to the point where she accepted what was happening to her at that moment. But when she started kissing Felicity with reckless abandon, she knew she'd meant it. Sara was rough around the edges, but on the inside she was all heart, just like Oliver.

Speaking of Oliver… The man was doing ludicrously delectable things with his hand between her thighs. His fingers would ghost over her mound, stop, then trail back down, causing Felicity's body to jerk with each pass. She desperately wanted him to shove his hand beneath her panties and just finger her already, but he was taking his time building her up.

While he drove her crazy with his fingers, Sara drove her crazy with her mouth. She continued to kiss Felicity: her mouth, her cheeks, her chin, her neck, her collarbone. She nipped and bit and sucked her skin, leaving a trail of red marks that she'd follow back up until she found Felicity's mouth again. It was as if Sara was playing a game, and no matter what happened, she'd always win. Felicity didn't care, though, because she won as well.

After licking a line down her neck, Felicity felt the hand Sara had delved deep in her cleavage retreat, but it wasn't gone for long. She used it to pull down the strap of her dress, giving her more skin to claim as her own while Felicity sat there, absorbing it all. It was absolute paradise until Sara's hand dipped beneath the green silk and under her bra, seeking out her nipple. She pinched it between her thumb and forefinger, rolling it into a stiff peak as her tongue lashed at her pulse point.

Just when Felicity thought it couldn't get any better, Oliver's hand finally dipped beneath her panties, stroking up her slit. She shivered beneath his ministrations, her moan reverberating through the interior of the limousine. His fingers delved deeper, zeroing in on her clit and stroking over it, forcing a cry to escape her lips, one that Sara greedily swallowed with her own.

The two of them worked well together, playing off each other's moves, reading Felicity's body as if it was an open book. She couldn't fault them for it. At that moment, she was basically a sitting duck, taking everything they gave without reciprocating, no matter how badly she wanted to. It was as if their sole purpose was to give her the ultimate pleasure that evening. She'd signed up to give them what they needed, not the other way around. But it seemed as if what they needed was to give, so she took it all, letting them use her body not only to satisfy her needs, but their own as well.

Suddenly, the limousine came to an abrupt stop, forcing Oliver and Sara to pull away. Felicity whimpered at the loss of contact, but was soon pulled into Sara's arms, her body coming to rest against the other woman's well muscled frame. She was warm and softer than Felicity expected, but the fact remained that Sara was holding her tight, refusing to let go as if something might happen to her. She figured it was her protective nature, something hard to let go of even after leaving the military. It made Felicity feel safer just thinking about it, and she easily relaxed into her hold.

"Why did we stop?" Sara said, the edge to her voice clear as day. Her eyes darted around, peering through the deeply tinted windows trying to assess any possible threats that might come their way. But Oliver's hand on her knee quickly put her at ease.

"We're home," he calmly replied, his thumb stroking over her skin in soothing circles.

"Oh," came her only response. Without saying another word, she pulled the strap of Felicity's dress back up her shoulder then smoothed down the fabric of her skirt before releasing her hold on the younger blonde. Oliver then knocked on his window and the driver pulled open the door.

He stepped out first, holding his hand out so Felicity could take it. She slid out of the limousine easily, her high heeled feet hitting the ground effortlessly as she used his hand for leverage to stand. Sara quickly followed and the three of them stepped away from the vehicle.

Felicity could see they were in an underground parking structure, far away from the prying eyes of the paparazzi or any other curious onlookers. Privacy was the one thing Oliver and Sara had somehow maintained during their two year relationship, and this was probably one of the main reasons why. Nobody could see if or when they entered the building.

As Oliver led them to the door that opened into the lobby, Felicity noticed the security cameras pointed straight at them. She knew the intention was to make her feel safe, but for some reason, it made her feel even more exposed, to the point where she wanted to hack into the security system and erase any trace of herself entering the building with them.

"Don't worry," Oliver said as he leaned in close, seemingly sensing what she was thinking. "They get turned off whenever Sara and I arrive together."

Felicity wanted to question him, but the door was being opened for them by one of the security staff. They stepped through one by one: first Sara, then Felicity, and finally Oliver flanked them. She followed Sara through the opulently decorated hallway off to the side of the lobby until they reached a single elevator that required a key to gain access.

"You'll have a key by tomorrow morning," Sara said as the doors opened to reveal an elevator as lavishly decorated as the executive elevator at Queen Consolidated: all gorgeously colored amber and red glass with hints of blue and green sprinkled throughout. It took them straight to the penthouse, which was just as opulent as the rest of the building.

Floor to ceiling windows gave her a view of Starling City that rivaled the view from the Queen Consolidated building a few blocks away. By the looks of it, they had entered the living room first. It was decorated in ultra modern furniture in shades of black, white, and grey. Felicity couldn't say she was surprised by the color scheme. So far, all she'd seen Oliver and Sara wear were black, white, and grey. That weekend when she'd bumped into Oliver at the bank was the only time she'd seen him in a splash of color, although his ties also varied daily.

Maybe that was something else she'd work on with them. She was a very bright and cheerful person. Adding a dash of color to their lives would only improve them, Felicity thought. Lord knows they probably needed it after what they'd been through.

Sara grabbed her hand and pulled her along out of the living room toward the bedroom. The ultra modern decor continued down the hallway until they reached a closed door. When Sara pushed it open, Felicity's eyes went wide. She had expected to find it decorated in shades of grey, but instead got the shock of her life.

The room was about the size of her entire apartment and painted in a soft shade of yellow that was very pleasing to the eye. The wall across from the door featured floor to ceiling windows just like the living room while the wall to her left was made up of slate grey marble. There was a bed pushed to the center of it with two slate grey marble end tables to either side that matched the wall behind them. Although the sheets were varying shades of grey in the same ultra modern design as the rest of the penthouse, they still had patches of yellow tying them together with the rest of the room. The bed itself was simple, only featuring a wrought iron headboard with several posts highlighted by decorative spherical finials.

On the yellow wall opposite the bed was an entertainment center in the matching slate grey color scheme as the wall behind the bed, replete with a massive eighty-five inch flat screen television in the center and a stand with several cabinets Felicity assumed held the cable boxes and video players out of view. Everything was so neatly organized that she couldn't keep her eyes from wandering around the room wondering where the closet was.

"Do you like it?" Sara asked as she sidled up behind her, chin falling to her bare shoulder.

"It's… wow," was all Felicity could say. Sara's arms banded around her waist and she gently pushed her toward the bed. When her knees hit the mattress, Sara spun her around and proceeded to press her lips against Felicity's.

She quickly got lost in the kiss as Sara began pulling the pins out of her hair, letting wild curls cascade down her shoulders. "I like you better with your hair down," she murmured, her lips inching away from Felicity's mouth, falling down the column of her throat. Soft, delicate fingers worked the zipper down her dress and unhooked the swaths of fabric that criss-crossed her upper back until the green silk was gently pulled away from her body.

Felicity was left in the bra and panties she'd worn that day along with the black stockings and garter belt that held them up.

"Well, aren't you the sexy little vixen tonight," Sara cooed, stepping back to give her an appreciative once over. "God, Ollie, she is so beautiful."

Felicity almost forgot he was still there, standing with his shoulder pressed against the doorframe with a smirk on his face. Pushing off it, Oliver stepped up to his girlfriend and stood beside her, also taking in Felicity's appearance. As his eyes roamed over the expanses of bare skin, he stepped closer until he was deep in her personal space. His hand reached out, landing on her hip and pulling her forward until she was pressed against him. His other hand came up to cup her cheek, tilting her head back slightly so he could stare straight into her eyes.

That striking shade of blue held Felicity captive. She fell under his spell almost immediately with that deep gaze and sagged against his chest, her arms falling to his shoulders and clasping behind his neck. She could stare into those eyes for eternity, wondering what secrets lay behind them, but then his head dipped down and he captured her lips and her eyes fluttered shut on their own accord.

Oliver Queen was, by far, the best kisser she'd ever encountered. The way his mouth moved over hers drew tiny little noises from the back of her throat. And when his fingers began playing with the clips of her garter belt, undoing each one by one, Felicity knew that was it. He undressed her slowly, his hands roaming her body as his lips and tongue and teeth clashed with hers. The garter belt slipped down her hips, falling to her high heel clad feet, followed by her bra and panties.

Felicity was left in only her black stockings and stilettos. Her heart raced in her chest as Oliver's lips took the same path as Sara's, kissing their way down her throat, the stubble that peppered his chin scraping deliciously down her delicate flesh. She held onto him for dear life, her fingers digging into the collar of his suit jacket as her head tilted back allowing him to lick his way over the hollow of her throat and along each of her collarbones.

"Ollie, you need to share," Sara pouted from somewhere behind her as her hands fell to Felicity's waist, inching up until they cupped her bare breasts. She found herself sandwiched between her new lovers, the silk of Sara's dress at her back and the fine wool of Oliver's suit against her front. She wanted both of them stripped bare, just as she was, but the way their lips quickly brought her to her knees, panting, begging, desperate for more, she knew it would be a while before they were all naked.

As Oliver continued to kiss his way over her shoulders and chest, Sara's lips began sucking kisses along her spine, making Felicity shiver. Warmth blossomed in her belly and inched downward until it pooled between her thighs. It was hard to focus on just what each of them was doing. He was slowly moving south, his lips brushing along her sternum, hands cupping her ass, kneading each cheek whereas her fingers pinched and rolled her nipples until they were painfully erect while her tongue swirled between her shoulder blades.

Felicity's moans echoed through the room as she stood on wobbly legs, hoping she'd get through this gauntlet of pleasure before her knees gave out beneath her. But Oliver's strong arms wrapped around her trembling thighs, holding her up as he trekked lower until he kneeled before her, lips hovering just above her mound. One hand skimmed down her leg, stopping at her knee to push it to the side, opening her thighs. It was then hooked over his shoulder, bringing his face right to her hot, wet folds.

When his tongue darted out to give them a solid lick, Felicity cried out, her body arching back into Sara's, who continued to hold her upright as Oliver worked her over with his mouth. His fingers soon joined the party, spreading her open further, giving his tongue access to her clit. One lick over the sensitive little nub and she thought she would fall over. But Sara held onto her, hands firmly wrapped around her breasts as she pulled Felicity flush against her body.

Her cries reached a fevered pitch when Oliver thrust his tongue deep into her cunt. With his forefinger stroking over her clit and his mouth sucking against her folds, Felicity's orgasm came quick. She reached down with one hand, cupping the back of his head and holding him close while the other fell against one of Sara's over her breast. Her hips bucked wildly, chasing that elusive edge, until her orgasm suddenly overwhelmed her.

"Fuuuuuck!" Felicity cried out when her knees finally gave way. She fell, metaphorically and physically, warmth spreading throughout her body. Sara caught her and eased her into the mattress before letting go while Oliver kissed his way back up her body, his mouth stopping to suck on each painfully erect nipple before finding her lips.

They kissed for several long moments, until her body stopped shaking and her breathing went from ragged pants to something a little more normal. As he laid her down against the cool sheets, Felicity watched Sara grab the collar of his suit jacket and pull him in for a kiss. It was far more brutal than the one he just shared with her, but still hot and intense nonetheless.

His hands took hold of the flimsy straps of Sara's dress, shoving them down her arms before grabbing the neckline and tearing it away from her breasts. She pushed the jacket roughly down his shoulders, letting it fall to the ground in a heap beside his feet, then grabbed his shirt, tearing it open so buttons flew in all directions, skittering against the white marble floor that wasn't covered by the yellow and grey rug that matched the rest of the room.

Felicity watched with rapt attention as the couple battled between each other, tearing their clothes off until they were almost completely naked. By the time Oliver had stripped her of her dress, Sara was left in only her black patent leather heels and bright yellow panties. He, on the other hand, remained clothed, his dress shirt hanging loosely off his shoulders as she grabbed the belt loops of his pants, quickly undoing the buckle and pulling the belt from his waist. The zipper came down next before she shoved her hands inside the fine Italian fabric, pulling it down his well muscled legs to reveal black boxer briefs straining to contain his growing erection.

When Felicity's eyes worked their way up his torso, she finally understood why he hadn't taken his clothes off the night before when he'd fucked her for the first time. His chest, or at least the little she could see of it, was littered with scars. Most were faded, but there were a few newer ones that were still healing. Either way, she couldn't take her eyes off them.

She didn't pity him for having them. The opposite was true: Why did Oliver have them? Had they been a product of the car accident? Or were they from his days with Helena? In any case, Felicity was curious to find out, but she knew asking would get her nowhere.

Just as she'd promised Oliver she'd tell him about Boston at some point in time, she would follow the same respect when it came to his scars. She knew he would explain how he'd gotten them someday, but for the time being, she was content tracing them with her fingers once Sara had relieved him of his shirt. Now almost completely naked, Felicity could see just how incredibly built he was under all that fabric. Her eyes followed the chiseled lines of his chest and abdomen, stopping where they led to the edges of his underwear.

She wanted to trace those lines with her tongue, give Oliver the pleasure he so easily brought her. But Sara wouldn't let him go. She continued to kiss him, teasing and biting his lip, sucking it between her teeth as his hands fisted the bleached strands of her blonde hair. One trailed down her back, and Felicity found herself staring at more scars.

Surprise returned to her features, her eyes widening when she realized Sara's were fresher than Oliver's and crisscrossed her back like tattoos. Her heart began to ache for the pair, seeing just how damaged they were, but Felicity refused to show it. Instead, she pushed herself off the bed and went to stand behind Oliver. When her lips met his skin, he tensed for a moment, caught off guard by her sudden presence, but when her arms banded around his waist, fingers splaying over his abdomen to bring her chest to his back, he melted into her.

Felicity kissed her way across his broad shoulders, paying special attention to each and every scar she found. Her lips spent several long moments caressing each one as her hands crept lower down his chiseled abs, nails scraping over the lines she'd mapped with her eyes. Upon reaching the hem of his boxer briefs, they dipped beneath the soft cotton fabric for just a moment before she pulled them out.

She teased him, her fingers brushing over his cock through his underwear, making his hips buck in anticipation of what was to come. A smile touched Felicity's lips as they kissed the base of his neck, and she held him a little tighter. Her breasts pressed into his back, nipples scraping across scarred flesh and catching every so often on a ragged edge. It served to turn them both on, and suddenly she couldn't help herself.

Her hands slid beneath the waistband of his underwear. One wrapped around the base of his cock as the other cupped his balls, massaging the heavy orbs between her fingers. Felicity heard the rumble in his chest, felt it vibrate into hers from where she stood pressed against him. He was enjoying it far more than she anticipated, and when Sara joined the fray, dragging his boxer briefs down his thighs, they all knew it was over for him. With two gorgeous women at his beck and call, Oliver was quite literally in the palms of their hands.

Then Sara sank into the mattress, holding herself up by her elbows as she grabbed his cock and pulled him forward slightly. Felicity moved with him, her hands still held firmly in place. She peeked around his massive arm to find Sara's tongue swirling over the fat head of his dick before sucking it into her mouth. Felicity moved along with her, hand pumping up and down his shaft forcing a groan from deep in his throat.

Together they brought him to a shuddering orgasm in minutes, with Sara's mouth wrapped around the head and Felicity's hand wrapped around his shaft. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen in her life. Feeling Oliver's hips jerk as he shot his load into Sara's mouth gave her pleasure she hadn't expected. And suddenly all Felicity wanted to do was give Sara the same amount of pleasure as she and Oliver had give her.

Letting go of his now flaccid cock, Felicity pulled away from him, but not before pressing one more kiss to his spine. Sara had rolled over onto her back on the bed, licking the little drops of semen that had spilled from her mouth. With practiced ease, Felicity crawled on top of her, straddling her hips as she leaned over her body. Their bare breasts brushed against each other, nipple to nipple, before she bent down and capture her lips in an unhurried kiss.

Sara tasted like cherry chapstick mixed with the sweet tang of Oliver's release. Felicity couldn't get enough. She devoured her mouth, sucked the breath from her lungs, and didn't let go until they both struggled for air. Trailing down her nearly naked body, Felicity paused to nip little red marks along her neck before continuing on to her breasts. She teased her nipples, biting and sucking and licking each into hard little nubs, all the while listening to her moan. Sara's fingers tangle in her hair, guiding her lower, down her perfectly sculpted abdomen towards her mound.

When Felicity reached her intended target, still clad in yellow lace, she took the fabric between her teeth and dragged it down Sara's legs, their eyes fixed on each other until it fell to her feet. Felicity hovered above her, breaths fanning out across moist skin as Sara waited, biting her lip as her hand caressed Felicity's cheek.

"Show me what you can do with that dirty little mouth, baby girl," Sara baited her.

Without needing to be told twice, Felicity grabbed her knees and pushed them apart then lowered herself until she was a hairs breadth away from Sara's slit. They stared at each other for a long beat before Felicity's tongue darted out of her mouth and licked a stripe from tip to tail, causing Sara to cry out, her head thrown back as Oliver stood behind her watching the scene unfold with that ever present smirk on his face.

She tasted sweet with just a hint of spice, and Felicity ran her hands up Sara's thighs, parting them further until she was spread open for her, folds glistening with her essence. Before delving any further, she kissed her way from one thigh to the other, purposefully avoiding her needy pussy. Sara moaned, loudly this time, and just as she was about to reach down and grab a clump of Felicity's hair to guide her where she wanted her, Oliver captured her arms, holding them firmly against the bed.

"Tease her," he commanded, the look of mischief present in his intense blue eyes. "Make her beg."

"Yes, Sir," Felicity replied with a smile before lowering her mouth to Sara's quivering folds.

"Oh, fuck yeah!" Sara whined, her voice rising an octave with desperation and need. She attempted to wrap her legs around Felicity's head, but she grabbed her ankles, forcing them back down on the bed. Without removing her mouth from where it was pressed to her moist folds, Felicity pinned her thighs to the bed, not allowing Sara to move more than an inch in either direction.

Oliver's strong grip on her arms gave Felicity the leverage she needed to drive the woman beneath her wild. She started by swiping her tongue across her folds, licking up the moisture that gathered there. Sara continued to cry out, little moans and gasps of pleasure reverberating throughout the room. They spurred Felicity on, her tongue slowly dragging up to her clit, circling the sensitive little nub without ever touching it.

She glanced up to find Sara panting, her breasts rising and falling rapidly with each breath she took as Oliver continued to hold down her arms. Having had enough fun teasing her, Felicity finally gave her what she wanted. Her tongue delved deeper between her folds, spearing into her before quickly coming back out. It caused Sara's hips to buck as a squeal of delight emanated from her throat.

"God, yes! Just like that!" she panted, her head rolling back and off the bed.

When Felicity glanced up, she could see that Oliver was getting hard again and gave him a little smirk. He was next, and that look let him know. He returned it with an expectant smile. Her focus soon went back to Sara's dripping folds, and she lapped up the moisture that was leaking down her ass and thighs with ease. Then it was back up to her clit, her tongue finally swiping across it forcing a high pitched cry to escape Sara's lungs.

Felicity didn't stop. Her tongue continued to lash against the little nub, teasing it to the point where her thighs shook beneath her hold. She decided to let go, her nails dragging up the sensitive skin until they reached the junction of her thighs and hips. In one swift and calculated move, Felicity thrust two fingers deep into her cunt and Sara screamed.

"FUCK!" she yelled. "Please let me come! Please let me come!" Sara begged, clenching her jaw as her hips bucked with Felicity's thrusts. She gazed up at Oliver for permission, and when he gave her a short nod, she went for it. Using her hand and her tongue, she pumped Sara hard and fast until she bucked violently against her, crying out Felicity's name as she finally fell over the edge.

The powerful orgasm left Sara breathless and limp against the bed. She panted, gasping for air as Felicity pulled away from her, gently setting her legs back down on the bed. Behind Sara, Oliver stood smirking at both of them. He closed the distance between himself and the bed, reaching for Felicity. When he grabbed her hand, he pulled her straight to his chest, his lips crashing over her, intent on licking away what was left of Sara.

Felicity moaned, unable to help herself. She loved the way Oliver kissed her. It was hot and bruising, but also passionate and soulful. He kissed with everything he had and made her feel it all the way down into her bones. As his arms banded around her waist, holding her as close as physically possible, she reached up, her fingers tangling in his hair, keeping his lips pressed to hers.

When his hands began to wander away from her waist and down to her hips, Felicity did the same, only she was bold enough to reach between their bodies and grab his cock, giving it a few strong pumps. It forced a growl from Oliver's throat. His fingers sank into the flesh of her ass, the nails sending a jolt of pain mixed with pleasure straight up her spine. She bit down on his lip in response, sucking it between her teeth and holding it for a moment before releasing.

Her mouth traveled down his chin, along the corded muscles of his neck, and stopped at the hollow of his throat. Felicity licked the small chasm before sinking her teeth into his skin to leave a little reminder that she'd been there. It wasn't that she was marking her territory, she had no claim to him, but she wanted Oliver to remember just how incredible she could make him feel.

He growled again, this time pulling away from her, but the grip she had on his cock kept him from straying too far. A plan was in place, and Felicity intended to stick to it. Her lips traveled lower, kissing the smattering of scars that littered his chest, outlining each one with her tongue. Through it all, his breathing went from calm to ragged the lower she sank, until her mouth fell just below his navel.

That was when his hands let go of her ass and trailed up her back until they sank into the golden locks of her hair. Finally, Oliver was exactly where she wanted him, at her mercy and begging for more even if he wasn't vocal about it. Felicity had spent years learning the right ways to please a man, and she could read Oliver like a book. He was pleased with her work so far judging by the way his eyes were squeezed shut and his jaw clenched.

Running her hand up his shaft until she reached the crown, her lips pressed against the base, kissing their way along throbbing veins until she stopped below her fingers. With her other hand cupping his balls, she began to massage them, rolling the orbs between her fingers as her mouth wrapped around the tip. Felicity savored the groan that escaped his throat when she took him deeper into her mouth, hollowing out her cheeks to create as much suction as possible. The fingers he had tangled in her hair dug deeper into her scalp. She gazed up at him to find his eyes shut tight and his head thrown back in ecstasy.

From that point on it became a game to her. She'd bob her head up and down his shaft while rolling his balls with her hand, stop at a random spot and suck hard before releasing, then start the torture all over again. When Oliver's hips began to rock with her movements, she knew he wouldn't last much longer. It was what Felicity had counted on when she started sucking him off. He'd pleasured her in more ways than she could count and it was only polite to return the favor.

The feel of hands running up the backs of her thighs made Felicity pause for a moment. A glance behind her found Sara laying on her stomach slowly trekking up until she was almost on top of Felicity. "Share," she whispered into her ear, and although Felicity wasn't happy about the move, she did as she was told, obeying her mistress. Her mouth released Oliver's cock, but he didn't let go of her.

A glance up revealed the angry glare he shot at his girlfriend for interrupting, and Sara smiled back snidely, her mouth getting ready to wrap around his shaft. Oliver released his hold of Felicity's head, grabbing Sara's bleached locks and pulling her away. She was shocked at how rough and violent the action seemed, but Sara continued to smile and even laughed when he pulled her into a kneel on the bed.

"Let her finish," he growled.

Sara's sharp blue eyes met his in challenge as she replied, "What? And miss the fun? I don't think so."

"Don't make me restrain you, woman," Oliver warned, the deep tenor of his voice sending cold chills down Felicity's spine.

'So this is his angry voice,' she thought, watching the power between the two shift back and forth as they stared each other down, waiting for one to crack.

Oliver's hand flexed in Sara's hair, the hold tightening to the point where Felicity could see her face contort in a grimace. "Fine," Sara sneered. "She can finish you off, but then you owe me."

"We'll discuss that later," Oliver replied, letting go. He wasn't gentle about it either. She was flung back into the bed, landing with a soft 'oof' against the pillows.

Then his attention turned toward Felicity and his features instantly softened. It was like night and day. She had never seen anyone go from incensed to tender in a split second. Just watching it gave her whiplash, but then his hand was sliding to the back of her skull, cradling it gently and guiding her back to where she'd been before. With only slight hesitation, she opened her mouth, her tongue snaking out to give his still rock hard cock a tentative lick. She would analyze what happened later, after they'd gone to bed, if she wasn't too tired.

Finding her groove was easy. Felicity's head quickly began to bob up and down the long, veiny shaft, taking it down the depths of her throat until she was balls deep before rocking back so only the tip remained in her mouth. She would suck it for a few seconds, tongue swirling around the crown, lapping at the precum that gathered there before swallowing him again. With each downward pull, she heard Oliver groan as his hand slid from her hair to cup her cheek.

"That's it, baby," he whispered encouragingly, his hips starting to rock with every bob of her head.

Oliver was close. She could feel it in the way his balls tightened in her hand and through the erratic jerks of his hips. Felicity's movements grew stronger, more calculated. With every downward thrust, she'd squeeze the little orbs between her fingers just enough to hear him groan above her. She'd hollow out her cheeks, sucking hard and fast on the upward stroke. Her final move: grazing his sensitive skin with her teeth.

That was what finally pushed Oliver over. His hand grabbed a fistful of her hair, holding her in place as he bucked into her mouth, letting go of his load at the back of her throat. And Felicity took it like the champ she was. Not a drop was left to spill down her lips or chin. Her hand gave him a few final pumps, releasing only when he let go of her hair and stumbled backwards.

"Fuck," Oliver groaned as he flopped onto the bed beside her. He grabbed Felicity's chin, tugging her towards his mouth for a kiss that lasted several long moments. When he released her, she felt out of breath and sated even if she hadn't been fucked like her partners. Being able to please them was what gave her pleasure and right now she was flying high on it.

They laid there, the three of them, for how long, Felicity didn't know. There were periods of lost time where she must have fallen asleep only to be woken up again by soft kisses against her shoulder or her thigh or her mouth. Whatever the case, she enjoyed the afterglow. And when the bed shifted beneath her, she gazed up to see Sara scampering out of the room. She returned a few minutes later with a stack of take out menus in her hand.

"So, what would you guys like for dinner?" she asked, dropping the flyers between them. "I was thinking Chinese." Sara gazed at Oliver as if whatever had happened between them a little while ago had already been forgotten, smiles lighting up their faces as they stared at each other.

"Felicity?" Oliver turned to her and asked.

"Um, yeah, Chinese sounds good," she answered. "Just make sure whatever you order doesn't have nuts because I didn't have enough room in my purse for an Epi-Pen tonight and the last thing I want to happen is an allergic reaction. Those are never pretty, and I'd hate to end up in the hospital tonight."

"Alright, eighty-six the nuts," Sara said as she grabbed the Chinese menu then reached over the side of the bed to the nightstand where her phone had somehow ended up. She called in the order, seamlessly transitioning from English to Mandarin without missing a beat.

Felicity sat awed by that tidbit of information.

"She also knows Arabic and Russian," Oliver whispered into her ear as his hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest. She instantly melted into him, her body relishing in his warmth.

"What about you?" Felicity asked as she turned to face him. Her feet wiggled their way between his calves seeking out further warmth.

"Russian and Mandarin," he said. "You?"

"Hebrew," she replied with a smile. When his brows furrowed slightly, Felicity added, "I'm Jewish. Learning Hebrew was a must growing up in my house. It's one of the few things I remember about my father. He was Jewish, but not exactly what you would call faithful. We maybe went to temple a handful of times when I was a kid that I can actually remember. After he left, my mom decided it would probably be a good idea if we just stopped going altogether. I might not know the entire language, but I can still have a conversation with someone if the need arose."

"You are a very interesting woman, Miss Smoak," Oliver said as his hand came up to brush a few tendrils of stray hair away from her face.

"I'd say the same to you, but you're a guy, not a woman, and there goes my mouth again," Felicity replied, squeezing her eyes and lips shut. It wasn't until she felt the rumble of a soft chuckle against Oliver's chest that she dared to open her eyes again. She found him gazing back at her with a soft expression on his face, one that looked slightly amused instead of annoyed.

"I think it's endearing," he said, his thumb brushing beneath her bottom lip before he pulled it free from where it was trapped between her teeth.

"As do I," Sara said from behind her. Felicity hadn't realized she'd hung up the phone and was now eavesdropping on their conversation. "Food should be here in fifteen minutes," she added. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving. I'm gonna go freshen up a little in the bathroom and meet you in the kitchen."

With that, she hopped out of bed and scurried out of sight somewhere behind them. The sound of running water soon reached Felicity's ears, but she was reluctant to pull away from the warmth of Oliver's arms. And it seemed that he was reluctant to pull away from her as well judging by the way he gazed at her.

"I should, um… probably put something on…" Felicity said, reluctantly extricating herself from his grasp.

"You could stay naked. I wouldn't mind," Oliver replied, a cocky grin upturning his lips as he watched her pick up the scattered pieces of her underwear.

Felicity immediately straightened up holding her green silk dress against her chest as she gave him a slightly confused yet admonishing look. Wordlessly, he got up from the bed in all his six foot naked glory and walked behind the opposite side of the wall Sara had disappeared to. A moment later, he returned wearing a royal blue robe with thin white pinstripes. In his hand he held another, smaller robe, probably one of Sara's, only it was white and made of some of the softest fabric Felicity had ever felt.

Oliver held it open for her, and she easily slipped her arms through each sleeve. "It'll keep you warm too," he whispered against her ear as she tied it in front. Then he moved away, turning to leave the room just as a chime signaled the arrival of their food.

A few minutes later they were all gathered in the opulent kitchen with its stainless steel appliances and black marble counter tops. Even the cupboards were painted black and had stainless steel handles. It was all very ultra modern, just like the rest of the penthouse, something Felicity knew she was going to have to get used to. But the bar stools were comfortable and the company was perfect.

They ate in relative silence, still slightly exhausted from their sexual escapades earlier that evening. Once the food was consumed, they returned to the bedroom, crawling into bed with full bellies and tired eyes. Someone turned on the TV, but Felicity wasn't paying much attention to it. Instead, she focused on the fact that she had somehow ended up sandwiched between Sara and Oliver again, her back to the former and her front to the latter, both their arms wrapped around her, holding her tight.

It was unexpected and slightly confusing, but at the same time Felicity had never felt more safe than she had at that moment.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First and foremost, I'd like to address the anon who wrote this:
> 
> "I don't even know why you put this story in the olicity tag. when this is about sara and oliver or are you afraid that if you do that you wouldnt have half of this comments/reviews. The level of thirst some of you oliver and sara fans have to get reviews is petty and pathetic, that you had to put felicity/olicity in the label and misled their fans just to get some reviewers. Cease and desist Alredy"
> 
> 1\. Learn how to spell.
> 
> 2\. If you don't like it, DON'T FUCKING READ IT!
> 
> 3\. If you don't like it, don't be an asshole and leave an anon review, because I will shame you publicly and let them crucify you for being an asshole.
> 
> 4\. Go fuck yourself. I write what I want for me, not for you. I only choose to share it because I want to, not because someone asked me. You chose to read it, so, let me ask, why did you even continue if you didn't like it? Because you're a piece of shit who likes to rain on people's parades by leaving shitty reviews? I'm just gonna go with that because obviously you are a piece of work if you have to hide behind a grayface.
> 
> That is all. Now, onto the chapter.

The sound of a very annoying and very loud alarm awoke Felicity the next morning, one that she was intent on changing before it drove her crazy. To either side of her, Sara and Oliver were also in various states of wakefulness. Sometime during the night, Felicity had ended up on her back with both their arms wrapped around her waist, their bodies pressed firmly against her own, cocooning her in pleasant warmth.

But it was the safety she felt being tucked between them that surprised her most. It had been years since she'd awoken to someone in bed beside her, and now not only did she have one strong and gorgeous human being next to her, but two. At first, Felicity thought it would feel awkward, but after last night, everything seemed as comfortable as ever. It felt almost natural waking up snuggled between them.

And it was the first time she realized she missed being in a steady relationship. Cooper had been the last person she'd ever done that with, but their relationship ended close to five years ago in a spectacular fashion she refused to acknowledge. At this point, Cooper was dead to her, and all Felicity had was memories of their time together. The one thing she refused to think about was how it ended. It hurt too much, something that must have somehow reflect on her face because a hand was now cupping her cheek, a voice calling out her name.

"Felicity, hey," Oliver said softly, his thumb stroking her bottom lip from where she had it worried between her teeth. "Are you okay? You seemed to have check out for a few minutes there."

"Yeah, fine, sorry," she mumbled. The alarm had stopped buzzing and she wondered how long she'd been lost in her thoughts. "There's just… a lot on my mind."

"Would you like to sleep in?" he asked. "You look a little tired. I know last night got a little crazy..."

"No, no. It's okay," Felicity said. "I wasn't thinking about last night. There's just… still a lot of stuff I need to process."

"I understand," Oliver replied, but his hand remained on her cheek, still stroking it softly with his thumb. Then he smiled. "What would you like for breakfast?"

"Um, coffee. Lots and lots of coffee," she said.

"Besides coffee," he chuckled. "My cook should be here any minute. She can fix you anything you want."

"Oh," Felicity breathed, slightly taken aback. Oliver had a cook, someone who came to his home and made him food. It was a bit of a foreign concept to her even though she shouldn't have been so surprised. "Um… Pancakes and scrambled eggs, please."

"They'll be ready when you're ready," Oliver said, a content smile playing on his lips. He was out of bed moments later, gloriously naked body illuminated by the early morning sunshine that streamed through the tinted floor to ceiling windows.

Felicity rolled to her side, her eyes taking in the sight of him for the first time. Last night she'd been too preoccupied with trying to get her partners off that she hadn't properly appreciated their beauty. Now with Oliver stretching beside the bed bathed in golden rays of sunshine, she realized whatever had happened to him five years ago in that car accident had left more scars across his body than she'd ever seen on a single person in her entire life.

Many of them were faded, their ragged edges healed long ago leaving faint white lines across the expanse of his back, from his shoulders down to where the waistband of the boxers he was putting on fell. When he turned, Felicity found even more scar tissue across his chest and a few spots down his arm. Her eyes lingered longer than they should have and Oliver suddenly stopped to stare back at her. She smiled up at him, rising from the bed.

"I'm gonna go get ready," Felicity said as she came to stand in front of him. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him in for a soft kiss before she released her hold. "I'll see you at breakfast."

With that, she tightened her robe around her waist and went to where she remembered the bathroom being on the other side of the bed, leaving Sara still struggling to wake up. It was much like the rest of the penthouse, ultra modern and sleek with grey slate walls and white marble sinks and countertops. One wall was made up of dark tinted glass revealing a spectacular view of Starling City. There was also a glass shower and a gorgeous slate gray marble tub with room for at least four people.

"This bathroom is almost as big as my apartment," Felicity muttered under her breath as she made her way toward the double sinks. Toiletries were already laid out for her: brand new toothbrush, an unopened tube of toothpaste, and a small bottle of mouthwash.

Felicity went through the motions of getting herself ready for the rest of the day, brushing her teeth before stripping herself of the robe she wore and stepping into the opulent shower. The water went from cold to hot almost instantly, something that would take a good five minutes back at her apartment. There were two sets of shampoo and shower gel against a ledge inside the shower. The first had a very rich and spicy scent that reminded her of Oliver. She set those down and reached for the other two. They smelled very fruity and feminine, and immediately conjured up images of Sara.

Stepping out of the warm enclosure once she was done, Felicity reached for one of the fluffy white towels on the rack beside the shower, draping it over her body before grabbing a second for her hair. Once she'd patted herself dry, she grabbed her discarded robe and threw that on while letting down her wet hair. Staring at the reflection in the mirror, Felicity studied herself. Now clean and mostly dry, she realized she had no clothes to put on that day aside from the green silk dress Oliver had bought her and the frilly lace underwear she'd worn the previous day.

"Damn it," Felicity muttered. "I'm gonna be late to work no matter what."

"No you won't," Sara said from somewhere to her left.

Felicity whirled around, her hand flying to her racing heart. "Holy shit!" she squeaked. "Please don't sneak up on me like that."

"Sorry, comes with the territory," Sara apologized. She was completely naked from head to toe, her arms crossed over her ample breasts making them look even perkier than they already were. While she had her fair share of scars, Sara's were completely different compared to Oliver's. She had small punctures, still angry and red, and a few jagged lines that ran over her chest and along her sides.

Felicity blinked. "How long have you been standing there?" she asked, realizing she'd been staring for far longer than was necessary.

"Not long," Sara replied, smirking. "But long enough to check you out just like you checked me out."

"Oh… I… Uh… Sorry," Felicity stuttered, her eyes drifting down to her feet.

"Chin up, gorgeous," Sara said, her hand cupping Felicity's chin and tilting it back up so their eyes met. "You're allowed to look. You just need to remember that I'm your Mistress and if I tell you to do something, you do it. You got lucky with Ollie last night, but next time, when I ask you to jump, you need to ask me how high. Understood?"

"Yes, Mistress," Felicity answered.

"Good girl," Sara purred, her thumb gently stroking her lower lip before she pulled Felicity in for a kiss. "Now, follow me. I have the perfect outfit I want you to wear today." She grabbed her hand, tugging Felicity out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom, around the bed and into the alcove on the other side.

It was a walk in closet larger than Felicity had ever seen in her life. Sleek black shelving surrounded her from floor to ceiling, a quarter of which was filled with Oliver's suits and clothes while the other three quarters were all Sara's things. One wall was dedicated to shoes of every type, from rugged boots to delicate heels. The other two were a combination of dresses, pants and shirts.

Sara walked to a line of built in drawers, her feet moving soundlessly over the white carpet that lined the floor. Pulling it open, she grabbed a black bra that was embellished with cream lace trim and a pair of matching panties. Handing them to Felicity, she scampered off again, this time grabbing a black and white striped three quarter length sleeve top, a lightweight cream cardigan, and a black pencil skirt.

"Here," Sara said, placing the items in her arms. "These should match well with your Louboutin heels, which looked fabulous on you last night. I'll let you get dressed," she added before scurrying out of the closet.

"Thank you!" Felicity called after her, but she was already long gone. Looking down at the designer clothes in her hands, she still couldn't believe what she'd walked into the night before. It still amazed her that she was with these two incredible people, sharing in their lives. She couldn't fathom how lucky she'd gotten. This might not have been the path she saw herself on, but Felicity was okay with it.

A few minutes later, she stepped out of the closet fully dressed. The only thing missing was makeup, and Felicity figured going au natural for one day wouldn't be so bad. After all, her skin looked smooth and even toned as it was. Mascara and lipstick just accented her features. But the bruises around her neck and wrists still starkly contrasted her pale skin, and she needed something to hide them with.

"Um, Mistress," Felicity called out, hoping the other woman wasn't in the shower.

"Yeah, baby girl?" Sara yelled from the bathroom.

Felicity made her way over, stepping inside to find her finishing up her own makeup all while naked as the day she was born. "Do you have anything to cover this with?" Felicity asked, waving her hand around her neck.

"Of course I do! Come here." Sara was gentle as she applied a healthy amount of concealer over each dark spot, blending it in with Felicity's skin tone until she finished a few minutes later. She then took her wrists and did the same until all the bruises were hidden. "There," Sara said, stepping away to survey her work.

Felicity turned to the mirror. Her neck looked spotless, as did her wrists. "Thank you, Mistress," she replied with a smile before turning to leave.

"Have a nice day at work!" Sara called out to her as she retreated into the bedroom.

"Thanks! You too!" Felicity yelled before stepping out the door and heading for the kitchen. She found Oliver sitting on one of the barstools staring down at his tablet with a scowl on his face. He was already dressed in a slate gray suit paired with a ruby silk tie. Her first instinct was to ask him what was wrong, but when his eyes caught sight of her, he smiled warmly, whatever he was reading completely forgotten.

"Good morning," Oliver said. "You look amazing, as always."

"Yeah, well, your girlfriend decided to dress me today, so you have her to thank for this outfit," Felicity replied as she slid into the seat beside him along the marble top of the island in the center of the large kitchen.

"It looks good on you," he pointed out. "Sara's got good taste even if she rarely dresses like it."

"I'm not saying that she doesn't. This outfit is gorgeous. But I'm not used to all this fancy-shmancy, throw-out-all-the-stops glamour."

"Then I'll let you in on a little secret." Felicity leaned closer, until their shoulders touched, and listened intently as he added, "Neither was Sara, but after her first shopping trip, she got used to it real quick. Just like you will, because we both like to spoil ourselves and those that are closest to us."

"Oh, no! Please! You've already done enough," Felicity tried to stop him, but he was having none of it.

"You're about to become the head of a division at my company, so you need to look the part," he said. "You, Sara, and I are going shopping this weekend, and we are going to get you primed and ready for your debut as the Director of Applied Sciences."

"No, really, it's too much," she began to protest.

"What did you include in that contract again?" he shot back, leveling her with a look that made her mouth snap shut. "'I understand that, above all else, it is my duty to please my Dom and I promise I will endeavor to do so.'"

That damn contract was going to come back and bit her in the ass more than once, Felicity realized. And Oliver, being the businessman that he was, would adhere to the terms outlined like a dog with a bone. With a resigned sigh, her shoulders slumped as she looked down at her lap. "Yes, Sir," she grumbled.

He grabbed her chin and snapped her head up so their eyes met. Whatever softness his eyes had held a few moments earlier was gone, replaced instead with raw power and authority. "Always look at me when you answer my questions," Oliver commanded. "I think now would be a good time to discuss the rules of the house as well."

"Yes, Sir," Felicity meekly replied.

"I don't have many, but they are important, and each one comes with its own form of punishment," he said. "I've already outlined the first rule. Failing to make eye contact when you answer one of my questions will result in a spanking. Since I hadn't laid out that rule until after the fact, you are excused of punishment, but just this once. For every infraction this point forward, you'll get ten slaps either with a hand or some other instrument of my choosing. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir," she nodded. "I understand."

"Second rule: You will dress as either Sara or I say, and it will be appropriate for the day or occasion. Sara did a good job this morning and I approve of this outfit. If you wear an outfit that hasn't been approved by one of us, you will immediately change out of it and position yourself on the bed, completely naked and face down, to receive your punishment for disobeying us. You will be spanked, then you will put on an outfit of our choosing.

"Third rule: At bedtime, you are not permitted to wear clothing unless it's that time of the month. Then you are only allowed to wear panties that either Sara or I choose for you. Failure to abide by this rule will result in sleeping in the guest room.

"Fourth rule: If either Sara or I ask you for sex, you will give it freely. Questioning us, speaking out, or refusing us will get you bound, gagged, and whipped.

"Fifth rule: Honesty is very important to both Sara and myself. If we catch you in a lie, the severity of your punishment will depend on how bad the lie is, and that's a decision we make separately. We will both punish you if need be.

"Final rule: You are to wear this at all times and never take it off." Oliver paused to take a small Tiffany box out of the breast pocket of his suit. Opening the lid revealed a delicate sterling silver chain necklace on a bed of white silk. In the center was a small heart shaped pendant with a tiny keyhole in the middle that allowed it to lock around her neck. He picked it up off the lining before setting the box on the marble countertop.

"Hold your hair up," Oliver instructed, and once Felicity lifted her golden locks away from her neck, he slid it around the pale column and fastened it into place. It didn't look at all cliche, like many of the collars she'd seen in the past. This one was classy and looked more like a regular Tiffany necklace than anything else. No one would ever even notice it around her neck or think twice about what it meant, she realized.

"How does it look?" Felicity asked, her fingers immediately reached up to touch the cold metal around her neck.

"Gorgeous," Oliver answered with a soft smile. "Now you're mine."

"Ours," Sara corrected as she waltzed into the kitchen wearing her usual black uniform. She bounced up to Oliver and pressed a soft kiss to his lips before moving around the kitchen grabbing things from one cupboard then another.

Felicity's eyes stopped following her when they fell on an older woman standing in front of the stove wearing an apron. She froze, unable to believe she'd managed to completely miss there was someone else in the room while she chatted with Oliver, and the flush on her face immediately appeared. The woman turned around holding a plate full of scrambled eggs and a plate full of pancakes, setting them both down on the island in front of her.

"Good morning, Miss Felicity," she said, her thick accent accentuating every syllable of her name as she spoke.

"Felicity, this is Raisa, my cook and housekeeper," Oliver quickly introduced them.

"Nice to meet you," Felicity softly said as she held out her hand.

"You too!" Raisa cheerily replied, giving her hand a hearty shake.

She reminded Felicity of the old grandmotherly type, only she wasn't that old just yet. But the way Oliver looked at her so fondly, she could see they had a special relationship, one more like a mother and son than a CEO and his housekeeper. Her thoughts began to drift. 'What was his relationship like with his family?' Felicity wondered as she picked up her fork and absently began to nibble on her scrambled eggs. 'How often did he talk with them? Did they spend time together? Did they know about Sara?'

"Syrup?" Oliver asked, nudging her arm with his elbow.

"Oh, yes, thank you," Felicity immediately answered upon realizing that she'd spaced out again. She really needed to get her thoughts under control if she was going to survive these next six months. But everything was just so fresh and new and exciting. She couldn't really help it if her mind got lost in the mystery that was Oliver Queen. There was so much she had yet to learn about him, so much to discover about his life.

"You keep drifting," Oliver said, knocking her out of her thoughts once more.

Felicity glanced over at him to find a soft smile lighting up his face. He reached out until his palm lay flat against her cheek and stroked his thumb over her skin. It sent a shiver down her spine, the way he looked at her in these quiet moments, like she was the only thing that mattered even though Sara was just a few feet away. Was it the novelty of having someone at his beck and call? Or did it run deeper?

With a soft smile, Felicity pushed those questions out of her mind. Her world was complicated enough as it was. The last thing she needed was to fall for someone she wasn't supposed to fall for. But Oliver Queen was irresistible with his charming smile and hidden heart of gold. That dangerous combination of compassion and brawn would be her downfall someday, just not today.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I keep thinking about everything that's going on and how fast things are progressing and how I really need to get back to my apartment and pick up a few things that I'd like to bring here, like my laptop and my tablet and…" she rambled.

"Felicity," he interrupted her, his hand still laying flat on her cheek while his thumb stroked along her skin. Her mouth shut with an audible click. When their eyes locked, Oliver added, "Breathe." She nodded before inhaling a deep breath then letting it out slowly. "I don't want to rush you. I know things are going a little fast, but you just need to breathe. You can go home tomorrow and pack whatever it is you need to settle in here this week."

"Thank you, Sir," Felicity replied with a smile and was rewarded with a dazzling one in return.

"We should get going," Oliver said when he glanced down at his watch.

"Oh! Wait! How am I supposed to get to work today?" she asked, feeling her heart began slamming into her chest once more.

"With me, of course," he answered with a half smile.

"But what about everyone at work? They'll see us!" Felicity was almost frantic now, her hand grabbing his wrist and holding it tight.

"Breathe, Felicity," Oliver whispered as he raised his other hand to cup her neck. After several ragged breaths, she finally calmed down again. He continued to watch her, his eyes focused on her face. "We'll go through the garage. No one will think twice if we walk off the elevator together."

"Okay," she breathed, gulping in a few more deep lungfuls of oxygen before her heart finally settled in her chest.

Felicity understood where this sudden bout of anxiety had come from: she feared Carrie's wrath if she ever began to suspect anything was going on between her and Oliver. But something told her after that little coffee date, rumors were already spreading like wildfire. Felicity knew she could handle it on her own. Involving Oliver was pointless at this stage. But just knowing that woman would make her life a living hell until she took up her position as Director of Applied Science made Felicity's skin crawl.


	12. Chapter 12

She was late, by over an hour to be exact, because after arriving at Queen Consolidated, Felicity realized her security badge and all the important things she needed for the day were still at her apartment. There was no way she'd be getting into her office without them. Sprinting back towards the garage, she managed to catch up to Oliver just before he hit the elevator.

Initially, she asked him for a couple of dollars for use on public transport, but upon hearing her predicament, Oliver had quickly called his driver back and instructed him to take Felicity to her apartment. Although she'd protested, his stern glare told her she would find herself in a world of trouble when she got back to his place that evening if she continued to refuse.

With a resigned sigh, she hopped into the backseat and was whisked to her apartment in no time. Upon arrival, she sent the driver back, saying she'd take her own car. He simply nodded once and drove off. When Felicity got to her front door, she immediately wished she hadn't sent him away.

Sitting on her doorstep was an ornately decorated box made of antique wood and carved with delicate floral patterns. It was small, no bigger than the size of a large postcard, and about four inches tall. Felicity picked it up cautiously, examining it from all sides, then peeked under the ornate lid. What she saw inside forced her to drop it immediately.

Photos of her scattered at her feet as the box toppled to its side and lost its lid. Many of them were recent: candid close ups taken from afar with a telephoto angle lens at her apartment, photos of her standing in line at the coffee shop, a few of her with Oliver heading into Queen Consolidated the other day, and some from her distant past. Those were the ones that had her on edge.

Felicity had purged those images from her Facebook page and her computer ages ago, after the fallout with Cooper. There shouldn't have been any trace of them left on the internet. Yet this person had somehow found them, and if she hadn't been on edge before, she was now. She scooped them up along with the box and rushed into her apartment.

Slamming the door behind her, Felicity pressed her back against it and took a deep breath as she squeezed her eyes shut. The freshman year lacrosse player came to mind almost immediately. But he'd been harmless, just sitting outside her dorm in his car, watching her go in and out of the building. She had easily dissuaded him from stalking her any longer by sending him a glitter bomb followed by a package of horse poop with a threatening note that warned him if he continued with his behavior, she'd send more and call the cops. After that, he had stopped.

But this… This put Felicity on edge. First it had been the flowers and now it was the photos. Glancing at her kitchen table, she saw the vase of Peruvian lilies and quickly pushed herself off the door to get rid of them. Her skin crawled as she scooped them off the polished wood and threw them straight into her trash can, antique vase and all. She immediately took them outside and heaved them into the dumpster behind the building.

Felicity kept the card, though, picking it up by the edges and slipping it into a plastic bag to see if she could DIY her own fingerprint powder and lift prints off of it. The same thing happened with the photos. They were stuffed into another plastic bag then slipped into her oversized purse along with the card and one more bag containing the box the photos had come in.

Grabbing her keys and a light jacket, Felicity then flew out the door, relieved to get away from her apartment. But it was bittersweet. She loved that place. It had been her first home when she'd moved to Starling City, and now it was a place that caused her much distress. She contemplated bringing the matter up to Oliver as she drove away, but decided to hold off just a little while longer. At least until she'd done her own forensic investigation into the matter.

And that was the reason why she stepped onto the I.T. floor over an hour late to work, looking frazzled and exhausted. The hits would keep coming, though, because the first person she encountered wasn't Ed to reprimand her for being late, but Carrie.

She sat at her desk, her long, lean legs crossed out in front of her. Today's outfit was an exceptionally short tan mini skirt paired with a white dress shirt unbuttoned to show off the frilly edges of the red bra she wore beneath.

It was so cliché Felicity nearly laughed out loud, but quickly silenced herself when Carrie's eyes fell on her. The smirk that crawled onto her blood red lips made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Then the redhead stood up and strode over to her where she stood.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in," Carrie practically sang as she put her hands on her hips and stared down at Felicity from where she stood in her six inch black stilettos. (Most definitely knockoffs of the pair she wore herself, Felicity noticed.) "A whole hour late to work. Gee, I wonder what you were up to last night."

"Probably nothing as exciting as you," Felicity retorted, rolling her eyes before turning to head toward her office.

"Oh, really? Then why are the tabloids suddenly splashing your picture across their covers and saying you're 'Oliver Queen's New Leading Lady'?" Carrie spat back as she grabbed one of the gossip rags off her desk and shoved it in Felicity's face.

A horrified expression crossed her features as Felicity grabbed the magazine and stared at it for several long moments. As Carrie had mentioned, there was a close up photo of her wearing the stunning green silk dress with her arm wrapped around Oliver's as he led her down the steps of her apartment building to the waiting limousine. Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach, her skin turning cold and pale almost immediately.

The photo looked so much like the ones currently sitting in her bag that she knew she needed to get to the bottom of this before things escalated. Felicity decided as soon as she entered her office, every gossip magazine that had that photo was on her hacking list. She was determined to find its source as soon as possible. The last thing she wanted was to draw attention to herself, and if her stalker had done this, she was going to find him and she was going to stop him.

"Hmm… Just as I suspected… Little Felicity Smoak is sleeping with the boss in order to get a promotion," Carrie sneered.

"You couldn't be further from the truth," Felicity growled before turning to head for her office.

"Then tell me, Felicity, what were you doing out with Oliver Queen last night, and in that dress to boot?"

"None of your damn business," she answered, throwing open the door rushing inside. It slammed shut behind her with a satisfying thud. Felicity found herself pressed up against it, listening to Carrie's laugh as she sauntered back to her desk.

In truth, she felt like a whore. Everything Carrie had said that morning was true. Felicity was sleeping with her boss in order to get her promotion, and it made her feel cheaper than she'd ever felt in her entire life. It didn't matter that Oliver knew of her merits, that he constantly reminded her the reason she would get that promotion was because she'd earned it, but part of her would always remember just how low she'd had to sink in order for it to happen.

Wiping away the tears that were gathering at the corners of her eyes, Felicity pushed herself off the door and seated herself in front of her desk. Distraction proved to be inevitable. Her mind jumped from the magazine sitting in front of her to the events of the night before to her stalker. It was the last one that finally prompted her to action. The website of the magazines that had printed the story about her and Oliver being together were immediately pulled up and hacked into.

Her first order of business was tracking down where the photo had come from. Sifting through each author's email, Felicity found the address it was sent from. As she suspected, it was a dummy email whose IP address bounced around all over the world. Whoever the person was, he sure knew how to cover his tracks. This was proving to be harder than she expected, but Felicity Smoak hated mysteries.

For the rest of the day, she ignored the handful of emails Ed sent her about updating some network components and firewalls and focused her energy on tracking down where that photo had come from.

As she toiled away, poking through basic firewalls and email servers, her cell phone began to ring. The number that popped up on her screen was one she didn't know, so she ignored it. Then it rang again not even a minute later; another unknown number. Felicity contemplated answering, but decided to let it go to voicemail. She had a sneaking suspicion it was the tabloids calling, undoubtedly looking for more salacious details to print in their awful magazines.

When a third unknown caller rang her phone, she finally decided enough was enough. "Hello?" Felicity angrily answered.

"Miss Smoak, is it true that you're Oliver Queen's new girlfriend?" the caller responded, prompting her to hang up immediately.

The phone calls kept coming after that, to the point where she simply turned off her phone in order to avoid the harassment. It made her even more determined to find the person responsible for releasing that photo. Whoever he was, she'd tear him apart, bit by bit, draining all his accounts and siphoning the money to charities around the city. No one messed with Felicity Smoak and got away with it. She wasn't about to let some anonymous asshole turn her life upside down.

She kept at it all the way through her lunch hour. Which was why Felicity didn't notice her office door open or the person that stepped inside. She was buried deep in code, weeding out one IP address after another until a hand fell on her shoulder.

A scream escaped her lips as she jumped back from the screen. Her knee banged straight into her desk in the process and she let out another howl.

"Whoa, Felicity! Calm down! It's just me," Oliver said in a soft, soothing voice as he turned her chair so she faced him.

"Oh, god, Sir! Please don't ever scare me like that again!" she breathed, her hand pressed to her heart. After gulping down several lungfuls of air, Felicity looked up at him to see his eyes focused on her computer screen. She swallowed and said, "I can explain…"

What she got in response was a deep sigh as Oliver's head dropped. "You don't have to," he replied. "I had no idea the paparazzi were following us last night. My security team is usually really good about these things, but I guess they failed. PR is on it. They'll issue a press release downplaying the incident as a work dinner. That should keep the reporters off your back."

Felicity nodded. "Well, I've been trying to track down the person who sent the photo, but it's none of the usual Starling City paps. And it's one lone photo that all the magazines have. There are no others," she explained. "I haven't been able to pin down the IP address yet, but I'm doing my best."

"I know you are," Oliver said. A tiny smile appeared on his lips. His hands fell to her shoulders to give them a light squeeze. "You're tense." It was a statement, not a question. "Are you okay?"

Felicity sighed. She pulled her glasses off her face and dropped them on her desk. "Not really. My phone's been ringing off the hook all morning, so I turned it off. And I'm so sorry. I know it's in the contract that I'm supposed to have my phone turned on at all times, but they wouldn't stop harassing me, and I couldn't get any work done because of it. So if you have to punish me today, I accept the consequences."

Looking up from beneath her long lashes, she could see Oliver's shoulders slump forward. His deep sigh, followed by the hand that fell beneath her chin to tilt her head up, had their eyes locking a moment later. "I hate that this is the second time you've disobeyed me today and that I have to, but just know I really don't want to because it is my fault for bringing you into this. I promise not to be too harsh on you this evening."

"Thank you, Sir," Felicity whispered. She gave him a wary smile as his thumb brushed across her lips. The action sent a delightful shiver down her spine. And when he leaned in, replacing his thumb with his mouth, she sighed against it. The kiss was far more chaste than any of the others they shared, but it immediately put her at ease.

"Have you eaten?" Oliver asked after pulling away.

"No, Sir. I've been too engrossed in tracking down where the photo came from. I lost track of time," she answered.

"I haven't either," he replied with a smile. "Would you like to join me for lunch this afternoon?"

"I would love to, Sir, but with everything that's happened this morning, I don't think it's a good idea," Felicity said, her mind immediately recalling her encounter with Carrie when she'd first stepped onto the I.T. floor. She was certain the harpy would have more to say after Oliver's visit, but she wasn't about to tell him that.

"Alright, then." He looked a little defeated, but quickly countered it with, "I can have Isabel order you something from the restaurant if you'd like."

Felicity smiled. "I would like that. Thank you." Oliver smiled back and leaned in to kiss her once more, but her hand pressed against his chest, stopping him a breath from her lips. "Maybe we shouldn't keep doing this here. I mean, I'm already under the microscope and office gossip tends to spread pretty fast. I don't want someone to walk in here and see us in a… compromising position."

Oliver continued to smile as his hand cupped her cheek, this time stroking her delicate skin instead of her lips. "Are you disobeying me again, Miss Smoak?" he asked in a husky tone that sent the butterflies in her stomach immediately buzzing.

"No, Sir!" Felicity defended. "I'm just trying to stick to the rules of the contract. We are within my working hours, after all."

He gave her a wide, almost predatory grin before swooping in to press a soft kiss to her cheek then pulled away almost immediately. "Still won't stop me sometimes," Oliver murmured. "I'll see you later, Miss Smoak," he rumbled against her ear before straightening up and walking out of her office.

With a smile playing on her lips, she got back to work tracking down her ghost on the internet. About a half hour in, a delivery boy knocked on her office door with a large carryout bag from one of the priciest restaurants in Starling City. She was about to tip him when he said that he'd already been compensated and there was no need. Smiling, she thanked him and brought the bag to her desk.

It was filled with a variety of small dishes ranging from pasta to steak to seafood, along with a garden salad, a bowl of creamy soup, and rich triple chocolate cake for dessert. Each dish was devoured hungrily until there was nothing left and Felicity's stomach forced her to stop. Then it was back to work, scouring the internet until she finally tracked down the IP address of the email the photos had been sent from.

"Boston?" Felicity mumbled under her breath as she stared at the information on her screen. "That makes no sense!" Scrubbing her face with her hands, she let her head rest against them for a moment while trying to process the information.

She knew no one from Boston, at least, not anymore. Cooper was… elsewhere. His roommate from MIT, Myron Forest, no longer lived there either. He'd taken a job in Silicon Valley as soon as they'd graduated. And she hadn't kept in touch with any of her professors either. It left her worried and confused.

Glancing at the photo one more time, Felicity remembered she still had all the other photos her stalker had left on her doorstep that morning. She grabbed a pair of the white cotton gloves she usually wore when fixing delicate computer components out of the top drawer of her desk and started going through them one at a time. If there was a connection between the person who had taken these to the person who had taken that one, she'd find it, one way or another. Forensics weren't her strong suit, but she knew someone who could possibly help her.

Felicity picked up her office phone and dialed the last person she expected to call so soon. "Hi, Helena," she said when the caller answered.

"Felicity!" came the shocked response. "Is everything okay? Are you alright? I saw what happened in the newspaper today. I'm sorry that things seem to be getting so complicated for you."

"I'm fine," she said. "Just a little rattled. My cell phone hasn't stopped ringing since this morning, but that's not exactly why I called."

"I'm hurt!" Helena feigned anger, but added, "What can I do for you, hon? Need one of my bouncers to rough up the photog that snapped that picture?"

"Actually, I was hoping you'd let me talk to Barry," Felicity said. "I could use his CSI skills on helping me track down this guy."

"I'll send him right over."

"Send him to the Queen Consolidated I.T. department on the 21st floor. I'll have an I.D. badge waiting for him downstairs with security," she replied. "And thank you, Helena. I really appreciate this."

"Anytime. You need anything else, just call me," Helena said. "I'll do whatever I can to help you, but you do have Oliver Queen and his money at your beck and call."

"He already knows I'm working on finding out who took that photo." It technically wasn't a lie. Oliver had basically signed off on her finding the guy. He just didn't know the specifics and the other evidence she had to track him down. "He's given me his blessing."

"Okay, good, because I'd hate to be on the receiving end of his anger if you were doing this behind his back," Helena warned.

Felicity frowned then said her goodbyes. In the back of her mind, she knew she should tell Oliver about the person who was stalking her, but if it turned out to be the same person who had released that photo, then she would rather kill two birds with one stone.

* * *

 

Barry Allen arrived at Queen Consolidated around three that afternoon, his lanky body decked out in a pair of jeans, a white dress shirt beneath a brown cardigan, and his favorite pair of worn out Converse shoes. In his hand he carried a small aluminum case, which security almost confiscated if Felicity hadn't been down there to let them know it was needed upstairs in the I.T. department.

"So, you work here?" Barry asked as soon as they boarded the elevator.

"Queen Consolidated, yep," Felicity answered.

"And your boss is Oliver Queen." He said it with such amazement she had to glance at him and found his eyes wide staring at the bright swirled colors around them.

"Yep," she replied.

"Iris would be pretty pumped if she knew one of my friends worked for Oliver Queen," Barry said. "He's, like, one of the top three people she's always wanted to meet."

"Who's Iris?" Felicity curiously asked.

"She's my best friend from Central City," he answered. "We pretty much grew up together. And I kinda have a little crush on her."

"Aww, that's so cute!" Felicity teased, making his cheeks turn a light shade of pink. It was nice to just talk to him every once in a while, get to know him and see what he was like outside of the club.

"I saw you on the news this morning," Barry continued.

Felicity's face fell as she said, "That's the reason I asked you to come over here."

"I know. Helena already told me. So you're trying to find the guy who took the photo?"

"Yeah, and I've already tracked his IP to an address in Boston, which makes no sense, by the way, but I wanted you to work your CSI magic on some physical evidence I managed to get my hands on," Felicity rambled just as the elevator slowed to a stop and the doors opened.

They stepped out into the marble lined hallway and through the set of glass doors, striding past everyone at a fast clip. Carrie had been called out to make a repair in the HR department, leaving the floor blissfully silent. Felicity was able to take Barry straight to her office without anyone giving them a second glance even though she knew Carrie's spies were watching them like hawks.

"Wow, you even have your own office with your name on the door. That's pretty sweet," Barry said as she closed the door behind them.

"Yeah, although this won't be my office for much longer, hopefully," Felicity replied as she grabbed one of the chairs that sat against the wall and pushed it beside her own at the desk. "Have a seat so I can show you what I need you to look at."

Barry sat down beside her as she grabbed the zip top bags out of her purse and laid them out on her desk. She had cleared away the clutter before he arrived so he had ample space to work if needed. As Felicity spread the bags out, she saw the look on his face change from one of wonder to one filled with concern.

"Megan… I mean Felicity… Wow, it's so weird calling you by your real name," he muttered before snapping out of his ramble. "What is all this?"

"Promise me, whatever I tell you in this room has to stay between the two of us, okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, of course," Barry immediately agreed. "Who would I tell?"

Glancing around the office just to double check and make sure they were alone, Felicity answered, "I'm pretty sure the guy who took that photo and sent it to the tabloids is the same guy who sent me these," she motioned to the photos, "and this." She picked up the card and handed it to him. "I've already touched this one, so there's no point in dusting it for prints, but I'm pretty sure I'm being stalked… again."

"Dusting for prints? Again? Felicity…" he breathed, and she could see just how much trouble he was having trying to process all the information she'd just thrown at him.

"I know it's a lot to take in, and I'm sorry I'm dumping it in your lap, but I really need your help to figure out who this person is," she said. "And yes, I've been stalked before, by a lacrosse player in my freshman year of college, but he was harmless and I got him to stop easily, but this person… This person is really creepy. He's already sent flowers to my apartment, and this morning, there was a box full of photos on my doorstep. I've already exhausted my hacking skills and I thought now would be a good time to call in reinforcements."

Barry just stared at her, wide-eyed and speechless. He snapped out of it a moment later, shaking his head in disbelief. "That's… really creepy," he agreed. "And I'm in. I'll do everything I can to help you. I'll start with dusting the photos for prints then see what I can find on the box."

"Thank you, Barry," Felicity replied, giving him a grateful smile as she pushed all the evidence toward him.

He set his case on her desk and immediately got to work. A multitude of containers were spread out over the glass surface, each one labeled with its contents. Donning a pair of latex gloves, Barry started with the photos first. The dark fingerprint powder was uncapped and a fluffy fiberglass brush was gently pressed into it, gathering the fine dust on the tips of each hair. He brushed it all over the first photo in the stack and let out a sigh when nothing came up. The second one didn't yield any results either.

By the tenth, Barry let out a frustrated sigh, but he kept at it, diligently sweeping the brush over each side until he finally let out a small  _whoop_ when he got to the last one. Felicity's eyes shot to his and she could see the excitement behind them. "I think we've got a print!" he exclaimed, holding up the photo and showing her the small area the powder had revealed.

When she looked at which photo it was, Felicity let out a defeated sigh. "That's probably mine. I needed to pick them up off the ground when I dropped them and that was the last photo in the stack," she said.

"Hey, that doesn't mean we're done yet. Far from it, actually," Barry tried to cheer her up by staying positive. "I'll see if I can run this print for you at my next forensics class."

"No need," Felicity replied, giving him a half hearted smile. "I can do it here."

He gave her a confused and worried look. "I may or may not have hacked into the SCPD database a little while ago for different reasons," she confessed. When he didn't move, Felicity added, "Just do whatever it is you CSI's do and give me the fingerprint. I'll run it through the company database first if it puts you at ease."

"I'm going to forget you even mentioned hacking into the SCPD database and just focus on the company database instead," Barry replied, lifting the print with a piece of tape before handing it to her.

Scanning it into the system only took moments. Felicity logged into the Queen Consolidated employee database and began her search. And just as she'd suspected, her name popped up almost immediately. She slumped back in her chair. "Well, there's the first dead end," she muttered.

"Hey, remember what I said?" Barry asked, his hand falling on her shoulder and giving it a little squeeze. "We're not done yet. Give me the box." She slid it over to him and he gingerly took it out of its bag. "Do you remember where you touched it?"

"Just the corners and the lid," Felicity answered.

"Okay, here's what I'm thinking. I'll dust for prints first, exclude yours, then swab for DNA. Since I know you touched the corners and the lid, I'll mark those as potentially being yours. The rest of this box is primed for other DNA samples. There's no way whoever it was that sent it to you could have gotten it completely clean. There are so many nooks and crannies where DNA can hide, and I'm gonna find it," Barry said with steely determination.

Felicity let him have at it, turning to her computer in hopes of finding out more about the IP address of the email she'd uncovered. She had a city, now all she needed was a physical address and a name, but those would prove to be dead ends much like the fingerprints. It led to an abandoned building in the warehouse district of Boston. Her frustration was mounting. So many leads, but none of them were panning out.

"I don't want to pry, but I'm curious," Barry said from beside her. With a small cotton swab, he wiped every surface of the ornately decorated box, then stuck it in a protective sleeve and set it down in his case. Felicity watched him for a moment, wondering what he was about to ask her when he said, "Why was Oliver Queen at your place last night?"

"Business dinner," she simply answered. Technically, it was a business dinner, just not company business.

"Talking about your big promotion?" he continued his questioning, a smile present on his face as he concentrated on swabbing every surface of the little box in his hands.

"Something like that," Felicity said.

"Alright, well, I'm done with everything I can do for now," Barry replied. The last swab was placed in his case before the gloves were discarded and thrown into her trash can. "I'll talk to my professor and see if he'll let me process these samples at the college lab. If not, then I think you need to consider going to the police with this."

"I'm just going to take it one step at a time. If I can do something myself, then I'll do it. I don't like involving more people than are strictly necessary. Besides, so far it's just been flowers and some photos," Felicity argued. "That's pretty harmless if you asked me."

"That's what worries me," Barry said. "It starts out as harmless but usually escalates into obsession. And from what I'm seeing here, this person just might already be obsessed with you."

"Great way to make me feel better, Barry," she grumbled.

They stared at each other for several moments before he finally let out a sigh and clamped his case shut. "I should probably get going. My shift starts in three hours and I need to get the DNA samples to the lab before my professor leaves," he said.

"How long does it take to process DNA?" Felicity asked.

"Five to ten days, depending on how good the sample is and how many contributors there are," Barry answered. "Oh, that reminds me, I should probably get a reference sample from you."

"Oh, right."

Barry pulled out one more cotton swab from his case and handed it to her. "Just swirl this along the insides of your cheeks," he instructed.

When Felicity finished, she handed it back to him. It was capped and labeled with her name before going into the case with the other samples. "Thanks again, Barry," she said. "I really appreciate this. Just call my office when you get the results back." She reached over and grabbed one of her business cards, handing it to him.

"Smoak…" he said with a half smile. "Now I know where your stage name came from."

"Not a word, Barry Allen," Felicity warned.

"Your secret's safe with me," he replied with a smile before pocketing the business card. "And if you need anything in the meantime, feel free to give me a call." He grabbed a sticky note and pen off her desk, scribbled his contact info, then handed it to her before turning to leave.


	13. Chapter 13

Five o'clock came and went; so did six. Felicity's mind was too engrossed in code to really notice the time. Her focus remained on catching the person who had released the photo of her and Oliver. The search had gone so far as traffic cameras around her block. She'd been combing through the footage, rewinding and fast forwarding, looking for anyone who looked out of place in her neighborhood.

But it was futile. Felicity lived on the edge of the Glades where major crimes were few and far between, and petty theft was commonplace. In the past hour, she'd spotted three pickpockets alone, with enough footage to send anonymous tips to police about who the suspects were and where they had gone. Unfortunately none of them had been holding what remotely looked like a camera.

She let out a frustrated sigh before taking her glasses off and throwing them onto the top of her desk. Being cooped up in a small, windowless office with only the servers to keep her company didn't allow Felicity to look outside to see the sun had already set. Instead, she kept chugging along, wishing there was a camera trained on her apartment as well, but that was just her luck, it seemed.

Her stalker remained the elusive ghost she hunted well into the night. If it hadn't been for her door swinging open, she probably would have stayed well past midnight. She looked up just as Oliver leaned against the doorframe. "I saw your car still in the garage and figured I'd find you here," he said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

"Sorry, Sir. I didn't realize it was…" Felicity glanced down at the clock on her computer and her eyes went wide. "Holy shit, it's a quarter to seven already?!"

"You're very focused," Oliver observed.

"I hate mysteries," she replied. "They have to be solved."

"Well, Nancy Drew, I think now's a good time to call it a day. You can solve your mystery tomorrow because right now, you're on my time," he said. Oliver pushed away from the doorframe and strode over to her desk. Without hesitation, he took her hands and pulled her to her feet so quickly she ended up flying into his chest. By the looks of it, this had been his intention as he smiled down at her, azure eyes turning soft and sparkling in the low light.

"And since you're on my time, and everyone's left for the day, I can finally kiss you," Oliver whispered before his lips descended upon hers. It fell somewhere between sexy and chaste, with just enough passion to leave Felicity gasping for more.

Her arms slid around his neck, bringing him as close as physically possible while his palms drifted up her thighs until they were beneath her skirt. They came to rest against the cheeks of her ass, palming each mound before giving it a light squeeze. Felicity let out a surprised squeak as her eyes flew open to find a mischievous look staring back at her.

"You know, Miss Smoak, I could punish you when we get home, but since you took up almost two hours of my time already, I think I'll do it here instead," Oliver murmured before he quickly spun her around and pressed her to the side of her desk.

Again, Felicity let out a squeal of surprise before her hands landed on top of the cold glass. "I'm sorry, Sir. It won't happen again," she stuttered. "I accept your punishment, whatever it may be."

His fingers latched onto the back of her neck, then forced her to bend over the desk as the other hand stroked up her bottom, the fabric of her skirt lifting up until it exposed her panty-clad ass. The black and cream lace was shoved down her legs, landing in a heap around her ankles. When his hand began to caress her skin, Felicity fought to silence the moan threatening to escape her throat. Those calloused fingers had a way of sending jolts of electricity up and down her spine like no one else ever had.

"I'm going to be lenient with you about turning off your phone. Those were extenuating circumstances, therefore I won't punish you for it. But you did waste two hours of my time this evening, and for that, I think fifteen slaps per hour wasted is sufficient enough," Oliver said. "I want you to count each one then thank me for it. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir," Felicity replied. The first smack of his hand across her bare ass came a moment later, forcing her hips to press hard against the desk. "One!" she cried. "Thank you, Sir!" The sting of a second slap hit her, but this time Felicity bit her lip to keep from moaning. Spanking had always been one of her favorite things, unless it was used for punishment, but the first few slaps always made her wet, which was something she couldn't help. "Two! Thank you, Sir!"

As much as she hated being punished, with Oliver it felt different. He wasn't trying to hurt her or scare her or make her scream. It was simply discipline with him. Each slap had the same force as the previous one, but that didn't stop the pain from getting worse as her punishment went on. The first ten weren't so bad, but by fifteen, tears stung her eyes. At twenty, they leaked down her cheeks, spilling onto the glass below. Around twenty-five, Felicity clutched the edges of the desk so hard her knuckles turned white.

When the final one came, she screamed out, "Thirty! Thank you, Sir!" in almost a sob. Her body slumped forward. From behind her, she could feel Oliver pull her panties up then smooth down her skirt over her very painful and very hot derriere. Felicity jerked away from his touch, prompting his hand to pull back almost immediately.

"It's alright. It's over. You did well," Oliver whispered. His hands fell to her shoulders, pulling them slightly until she stood up. Not even a moment later, his arms wrapped around her waist, bringing her into the warm expanse of his chest.

Felicity nestled her head into the crook of his neck breathing in the scent of lavender, amber, and sandalwood. With his fingers stroking her cheeks, she calmed down considerably. It had been quite some time since anyone had punished her, and the last time it had happened, there was never any aftercare provided, leaving her to cry uncontrollably for hours afterwards wondering what she had done wrong.

"Do you know why I spanked you?" Oliver asked.

"Yes, Sir," Felicity mumbled.

"Tell me."

"Because I wasted your time."

"Will you do it again?"

"I won't, Sir. I've learned my lesson."

Oliver pulled away and gazed down at her, a warm smile playing on his lips. "Good girl," he cooed, cradling her cheeks between his hands while his thumbs stroked away whatever tears were left. He leaned down and pressed one more kiss to her lips. "Let's go home. I think you've done enough work for today."

Felicity nodded before he released her. Grabbing her purse (which she had the foresight to empty and hide the box, photos, and card well before Oliver entered her office that evening), she followed him out the door and through the empty I.T. floor. By the time they reached the elevator, he had wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into his side. They remained that way, her head resting against his shoulder, until they arrived at the garage level.

Oliver's black sedan was waiting, the driver opening the door as soon as he caught sight of them. "I should probably take my own car," Felicity began to say, but he was having none of it.

"Leave it here. You'll ride with me tomorrow. There'll be less of a chance for paparazzi seeing us together," Oliver reasoned.

Too sore and tired to argue, Felicity simply nodded and attempted to sit down on the rich leather only to let out a sharp gasp when her butt hit the seat. He was quick to scoop her up in his arms, and in one fluid move, had them both inside with her body resting gently upon his lap. It was still uncomfortable and pain radiated out from her rear, but her arms wrapped around his neck and her head came to rest on his shoulder once more.

The entire ride to his penthouse was spent like that. A comfortable silence settled over them as the gentle rocking motion of the car nearly lulled Felicity to sleep. She didn't realized she was so tired until that moment. Oliver's lips on her forehead and his whispered, "We're home," roused her from her nap, but she was still barely clinging to consciousness. Her body became weightless for a moment, and she realized he was carrying her inside.

It wasn't until they reached the bedroom and she felt him lower her to the bed that Felicity finally woke up. The sudden pain shooting from her rear end was what jolted her awake, prompting her to roll over and groan. "Ow," she mumbled against the bed sheets as Oliver began to undress her.

"I'm gonna draw you a bath, okay?" he whispered against her ear as he took off her jacket.

"Yeah. Mmhmm. Yes, Sir," Felicity responded without lifting her head. She could still see him, though. His hand brushed back the strands of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail before he pressed a kiss to her temple and stepped into the bathroom. The sound of the tub being filled prompted her to get up and take off the rest of her clothes until she was completely naked.

When Oliver returned a few minutes later, she was sprawled out on the bed again, her shirt, cardigan, skirt, and underwear folded neatly beside her. The tips of his fingers ran along the curve of her spine until they reached her neck. Upon turning her head, Felicity discovered that he had shed his clothes as well, only they were in a pile in the corner of the room. She took his proffered hand and was led into the opulent bathroom.

The tub wasn't very full, only a few inches to be exact, but there was a layer of pillowy bubbles that looked so inviting that Felicity simply sank into the water on her knees. Oliver followed suit and once he was situated at the opposite end of the tub with his back pressed against the slate gray marble, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into his chest.

"Stay still," he whispered once she was settled, then reached over to grab something from the ledge behind her. She could hear him flick open a cap and soon felt something cool being dripped onto her sore bottom. "Aloe," Oliver simply said. When his fingers began to spread it out across her ass, Felicity flinched, her nails digging into his skin.

"I'm sorry, baby," Oliver murmured. His lips pressed to her forehead, kissing her softly until the pain slowly faded. It was a dull ache by the time he removed his hand, shaking it in the water to wash off the excess gel. "Feel better?"

Felicity nodded, prompting him to wrap his arms around her and hold her close. They remained in the tub long after their skin started to prune and the water had turned cold. There was just something so soothing laying there with him that she didn't want to move. Her body relaxed against Oliver's and sleep once again claimed her.

This time when she woke up, Felicity found herself wrapped in a robe with her head resting on a pillow. Oliver sat propped up against the headboard beside her looking down at his tablet. "What time is it?" she mumbled.

"A little after eleven," he whispered then placed his tablet on the nightstand and shimmied down until they lay facing each other. A soft smile played on his lips as his hand reached out to stroke her hair, which now flowed in loose curls down her back.

"Where's Sara?"

"In the bathroom."

Felicity yawned then closed her eyes again. Behind her, the bed dipped with Sara's weight. She slid in behind her, arms immediately wrapping around her waist, and pressed a soft kiss against her shoulder. "Good night, baby girl," she whispered into Felicity's ear before snuggling beside her.

Oliver scooted closer, until her head rested beneath his chin and she was sandwiched between the two of them. Warm and comfortable, Felicity settled in for the night, her small hand finding his where it lay between them and twining their fingers together. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and she could feel the smile spreading across his lips as he sighed and relaxed into her.

But sleep didn't last long. Felicity was awoken by soft lips pressed against the expanse of her shoulders, kissing from one side to the other as she lay on her stomach, the robe Oliver had wrapped her in that night having slipped off her body leaving her completely naked. Beyond exhausted from the past day's events, she tried to pull away. Far too tired and emotionally drained, she just wanted to go back to sleep, contract be damned.

"Sto-" Felicity was silenced when those soft lips found her mouth, latching on until the breath was sucked from her lungs. Once a hand fell to the small of her back, fingers tracing up and down her spine in meandering circles, she knew she was screwed. That was all it seemed to take for her to give in.

Even though it was three in the morning and she needed to be at work in less than six hours, the fire that ignited in her belly wouldn't be quenched until someone gave her an orgasm. When the hand had worked its way into the soft golden curls of her hair, another found its way to her breast, cupping the supple mound between her body and the mattress.

Felicity immediately rolled to her side for better access and found herself pressed against a strong chest as those soft lips continued to kiss hers before trailing along her jaw and towards her neck. She mewled against the ministrations as the hand on her breast wandered down across her abdomen and came to rest between her thighs. Deft fingers played along her slit, almost tickling her as she now keened with need.

The lips and teeth and tongue on her neck were no longer enough. She needed more. Felicity laid her palm over the hand between her legs, silently begging for it to do more than just stroke her outer lips. Strong fingers finally slipped between her folds, seeking out her clit as she raised her leg and hooked it along the calf behind her.

Her moans echoed through the room, bouncing off the walls and willing the hand between her legs to stroke faster as the lips on her neck trailed down until they caught a nipple between them. It was sucked and rolled between sharp teeth before they bit down, causing her to cry out in both pleasure and pain. But Felicity loved this. She absolutely adored being doted on, especially this way, her body pressed up against another as lips and fingers worked in tandem to eek out every last ounce of pleasure until she was completely and utterly spent.

The previous night was still fresh in her mind though. She could still hear the slap of Oliver's hand against her ass. Keeping her eyes squeezed shut, Felicity pushed the thoughts to the farthest corners of her memory. Instead she focused on the sensations that spread throughout her body. The hand between her legs then slipped two fingers deep into her cunt and she cried out again. She reached for something, anything to hold on to as the sensations overwhelmed her and came into contact with a well toned forearm. Her nails dug into warm, tanned skin as she writhed in absolute pleasure.

"Oh, god! Oh, god! Oh, god!" Felicity panted, her head rolling back until it hit the warm chest she was pressed against. Her hips rocked with those amazing and talented fingers as the mouth still sucking on her breasts moved back to her lips for a searing kiss that effectively muffled her moans.

The hand between her legs moved faster, thumb stroking hard against her clit until she could barely take it anymore. Fire coursed through Felicity's veins, spreading out from low in her belly until it reached the tips of her fingers and toes. She was so close. It wouldn't take much more to push her over the edge. She could feel it now, and ground her hips against that incredible hand as another wrapped around her breast, giving it a good squeeze while two fingers pinched her already sensitive nipple.

"Come for me, baby," a soft voice whispered in her ear. That was all she needed. Felicity came flying apart, her bellowing cries reverberating off the walls until a mouth clamped over her lips, effectively silencing her with a kiss. Waves of pleasure washed over her as teeth and tongue, hands and fingers worked together, seemingly keeping her in a perpetual state of bliss.

A few moments later, she went limp in the arms that held her, body completely spent for the night, and possibly even the morning. How she was going to get to work by nine was beyond her. All Felicity wanted to do was lay there in a boneless heap as those lips and hands continued to bring her pleasure. Her eyes fluttered behind the lids, hoping this would be the first and last orgasm of the night, but the giggle she heard emanating from the person beside her said otherwise.

"No more!" Felicity begged, her eyes cracking open. "Too tired… Need sleep…"

"Aw, come on, baby girl, one more time."

"Sara, leave her be," Oliver growled as his hand slid out from between Felicity's legs and came to rest over her abdomen. He nuzzled her shoulder before trailing kisses up a line that led to just behind her ear. She let out a contented sigh before being pulled into his chest. "We both have work in the morning and I've already made her late once this week."

"Ollie!" Sara whined. "We made a deal."

"I know we made a deal, but her health and her work are important to me, so I'm putting my foot down with this decision. Felicity gets to sleep tonight. End of discussion," Oliver said in a stern voice.

"You and I need to have a discussion about this sometime very soon," Sara grumbled from where she lay behind the other blonde.

"We will, but right now, sleep," he ordered.

Felicity turned her head to look at her other partner. Sara's arms were crossed over her chest and her lips puffed out in a pout. She wasn't happy, but she wasn't complaining anymore either. "What about a vibrator?" she mumbled.

From beside her, Sara's pout cracked into a small smile. "You're cute," she replied, stroking her fingers through Felicity's hair. "But I think I'll pass."

"Okay," Felicity tiredly replied as she snuggled into the warmth of Oliver's embrace and closed her eyes once more. "Good night." He kissed her shoulder and returned the sentiment. Behind her, Sara slid back beneath the blanket and wrapped her arms around Felicity's waist. Her head fell into the crook of her neck, the long, lean lines of her body molding against her curves until both Oliver and Sara had Felicity sandwiched between them once more.


	14. Chapter 14

Aside from a sore ass keeping her from sitting comfortably, the rest of Felicity's week went by uneventfully. The morning after the press had run the story about her being Oliver's new girlfriend, she'd hacked into their servers once more and overloaded every reporter's and editor's email with spam. It didn't matter that the Queen Consolidated PR team had issued a press release condemning their actions and stating that she and Oliver weren't a couple, that their night was simply a business matter. She changed her phone number as well and made sure the phone company kept it private this time. Then she'd settled in to working on all the projects she'd neglected on her hunt for the person who'd released that photo.

Felicity did, however, leave one algorithm running in the background to see if it could dig up anything she might have missed. Unfortunately, the search had revealed no new information. If anything, he'd easily disappeared into the night like a ghost. She still hadn't gone to her apartment to pick up any of the things she needed to bring to the penthouse. Then Saturday morning rolled around and Sara announced their itinerary, completely derailing her plans for the day.

"I have a surprise for you," she said after bounding out of the bathroom dressed in black jeans and a faded navy cardigan over a white t-shirt.

Felicity was just slipping into a pair of boot cut jeans Sara had picked out for her earlier along with a bright magenta top. It was nice to feel relaxed for once and not like she was being put on display like Sara and Oliver had done the past few days. They'd decked her out in skirts and dresses and high heels, almost the exact opposite of what Felicity was used to wearing in the office, but she didn't dare complain. She needed to project an image, after all, one of a confident businesswoman instead of a lowly I.T. grunt.

That, in turn, fueled the office gossip that she was sleeping with Oliver. Felicity did her best to ignore her coworkers, even if Carrie was being loud and obnoxious about it, but her confidence continued to take hit after hit until she simply closed her office door and refused to come out unless it was the end of the workday or if she needed to take care of something. If Ed noticed, he said nothing, but he was usually too preoccupied with running around fixing things to even listen to the chatter around him. She refused to bring it up to Oliver, though, deciding to tackle the problem on her own. It would blow over soon enough, Felicity kept telling herself. She just needed to stick it out for a little while longer.

"What's the surprise?" Felicity asked as she zipped up her jeans and slipped her feet into the cute cream Coach flats Sara had loaned her.

"You, Oliver, and I are going for a little day trip," Sara announced, her face lighting up with a smile that shined almost as bright as the sun. Felicity couldn't help but return it as she continued. "We're gonna hop over to LA for a few hours on Oliver's private jet, do a little shopping, maybe a little sightseeing, and definitely a lot of eating, then head home."

Felicity's eyes immediately went wide. "LA? Private jet? Shopping? What?" she asked, seemingly unable to string together a coherent sentence.

"Yes, LA! Oliver wanted to drag you to Paris, but since I have to work later tonight, we agreed LA would be best because it's only about three hours from here by plane," Sara answered as she grabbed a black handbag and opened the top drawer of her nightstand to pull out a small handgun. It was tucked into a holster around her ankle just above her boot before the material was rolled down and smoothed over making it look like nothing was there.

The gun was part of who Sara was, Felicity had learned. She kept one on her at all times since she worked personal security. The first time Felicity had seen it, she'd nearly freaked out and jumped into Oliver's arms only to hear him chuckle into her hair and whisper words of reassurance that Sara knew what she was doing. Still, it hadn't made her feel comfortable. Sara, being the trained military soldier she was, had offered to teach Felicity the basics on firearms, but she had politely declined for the time being.

"Why LA? Can't we shop here, in Starling City?" Felicity asked, her voice rising an octave.

Sara stared at her for a few moments. "After the incident with the paparazzi, we both thought it would be safer to get away from Starling for a while," she said.

"But isn't LA the paparazzi capital of the world?"

"Only if you're a celebrity." Sara grinned. "And we are most definitely not celebrities out there, so it's relatively safe."

Felicity simply nodded and left Sara to finish getting ready. Out in the kitchen, she found Oliver dressed much like he'd dressed the first time she saw him on a casual weekend: in a navy henley and faded blue jeans. With his phone pressed to his ear and the hard set of his jaw, she could tell something was wrong. Her first instinct was to walk over and place a gentle hand on his arm until he looked down at her.

She couldn't hear what was being said on the other end of the line, but the scowl present on Oliver's face told her he wasn't happy. "I'll be there soon," he practically growled at the person on the other end and shut the thing off without so much as a goodbye.

"Hey," Felicity whispered, her hand gently rubbing up and down his arm until he finally looked at her. "Is everything okay?"

"I can't accompany you and Sara to LA today. There are some… issues I need to deal with regarding the new Applied Sciences building," Oliver said.

"We could cancel…" she began to suggest, but he put his hand up.

"No," he gently replied, his warm palm falling to her cheek. "You and Sara go have a good time. Besides, you look like you could use a break." He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Besides, I'm pretty sure my mother would like to see my face for more than a few minutes this afternoon. I'll see you when you guys get home." Oliver stroked her cheek with his thumb one last time before pulling away and heading back to the bedroom.

A few minutes later, Sara emerged with a purse slung over her shoulder and a sad look on her face. "Well, that's a bummer," she said as she strode up to Felicity. "It sucks Oliver can't come with us, but it definitely won't stop us from having a good time." Sara hooked her arm around Felicity's and together they rode down to the garage where a driver was waiting to take them to a private airstrip housing the Queen family jet.

Felicity had been on a number of commercial airliners in her lifetime, but never on a private plane. The sleek white G6 was just as opulent as the penthouse, but decked out in a more traditional style with rich mahogany paneling and cream leather seats. It was nice not having to deal with little leg room and strange people sitting beside her. Having room to move made her less anxious and more apt to relax, but she was still nervous when it came time to take off.

Feeling Sara's hand wrap around hers, Felicity looked over at the other blonde to see the smile on her face. "Don't worry, baby girl. We'll be up in the sky in no time," she reassured her, but as the plane taxied down the runway, Felicity couldn't stop herself from grasping her hand and squeezing tight.

"I hate this part," she grumbled, closing her eyes as the jet lifted off the ground. For the next several minutes, Sara rubbed calming circles into her wrist as she took deep breaths in order to keep calm. When the pilot announced they had reached cruising altitude, Felicity finally opened her eyes and glanced through the window.

Below them was nothing but deep blue ocean, sunshine, and clear, cloudless skies. For the first time since takeoff, Felicity sat back in her comfortable leather seat and relaxed. Beside her, Sara took off her seatbelt and stretched out. "I don't like flying any more than you do, but the view is spectacular," she said.

"I'm surprised that the highly trained ex-military security-company-owning badass doesn't like flying," Felicity said, giving her a half smile.

"There are a lot of things I don't like," Sara thoughtfully replied. Her eyes wandered back to the window, staring out at the sun sparkling off the ocean waves below.

"What things?" Felicity asked. The glare Sara fixed her with let her know she wasn't in the mood to share, so Felicity decided to take the first step. "Personally, I don't like needles, or heights, or kangaroos for that matter. It's more of a phobia. The kangaroos, I mean. They wig me out. They look evil, and I'm sure their pictures are up on like everything, everywhere in Australia, which would probably make going on a vacation there kinda tricky."

Sara snorted. "I'll make sure to tell Ollie Australia's a no fly zone," she retorted, but a smile had formed on her lips, one Felicity could tell was genuine. "I don't like tight spaces and not being in control."

"Tight spaces? You're claustrophobic?" Felicity thought on that for several moments as she watched Sara look away from her and stare out the window.

"It started when I was little. My sister, Laurel, accidentally locked me in a closet while our dad was at work and the door got stuck when she tried to open it. I freaked out. She freaked out, called our dad, and he came rushing home from patrol to get the door unstuck. Then there was this one time at the academy where some of the cadets thought it would be funny to shove me in a locker. Needless to say, they all had broken bones by the time anyone knew what had happened. No one messed with me after that, but it still didn't make it any better," Sara explained.

"But that wasn't the worst," she continued, her eyes becoming distant as she stared off in a spot past Felicity's head. "The worst was when I got captured behind enemy lines after my convoy got ambushed. They stuck me in this tiny little hole of a cave with iron bars for a door. Thankfully I had a tracker in my boot that helped my CO find me, but it took about three days. I've never been more scared in my entire life. I was tortured, beaten for hours on end, but I didn't crack. I knew someone would come for me. It felt like an eternity, though.

"After the ordeal, I was discharged and given a medal, and that's about it. I got the most basic medical attention and a few hours with a therapist, but it didn't help. Wasn't until I saw Oliver again that things got better. He got me into therapy and has helped me out quite a bit. When I got the idea for Black Canary Security Consulting, he was behind me one hundred percent and even fronted the start-up money. He's the first person who's ever really believed in me, and I think that's what's helped me get back into step. I'm happier, but we still have our issues."

Felicity nodded, too stunned to speak. She hadn't expected Sara to reveal so much about her past, but it was nice that she felt comfortable enough around her to say anything. It made Felicity feel lighter knowing that Sara could trust her that much. "Wow," she finally said, and Sara gave her a weak smile before standing up to stretch.

"Curious about anything else?" the other blonde asked as she slid back into the seat across from Felicity.

"So, um, what does your dad do?" She figured it would be the safest way this conversation could go. After all, Sara had revealed quite a bit about her time in the military. A change of pace into less painful territory was warranted.

"He's a detective for the SCPD. Laurel's a lawyer. And I'm the fuck up who got kicked out of school that now owns a multi-million dollar security company. Imagine his surprise when he found out his screw up daughter was now more successful than his golden child," she said, her smile widening.

"I take it you and Laurel weren't the best of friends growing up," Felicity surmised.

"We weren't. We always fought about everything. Ollie was the final straw." Sara sighed as Felicity tilted her head to the side, her questioning gaze prompting her to continue. "Laurel always knew I had a big crush on Ollie. It didn't stop her from going after him, though. Back then, she was perfect for him, straight A's and a spotless record, but he was an ass and constantly cheated on her. One night, we were all at this party together, and I don't know where Laurel was, but I was alone with Ollie. One thing led to another, and we hooked up that night. We kept hooking up behind Laurel's back for almost a three years before Tommy found out and threatened to tell Laurel. Ollie freaked out, and, well, things didn't end well between any of us. Laurel still found out and hasn't talked to me since. Tommy and Ollie had a huge fight, then Tommy died. I ended up in boot camp then Iraq for several years."

"That… really sucks," was all Felicity could offer in response. She reached over and took Sara's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"What about you?" she asked. "What's your tragic backstory? How did you end up where you ended up?"

"My dad left when I was seven," Felicity started. "I don't remember him much, though, only that he was very smart and that he loved technology. My mom had to work several jobs in order to keep a roof over our heads after he left, and we got by, but soon they started cutting her hours and I needed to find some way to pay the bills. I tried counting cards, but that got me banned from the casinos pretty quick. Then one night I was on my way home from my diner job and this guy on the street corner near my bus stop asked me if I wanted to make some quick cash. I said yes because at that time we were up to our eyeballs in debt so whatever money came in helped out immensely. Next thing I know, I'm in a hotel room with this sweaty old fat guy telling me how much he likes fucking little girls. It was repulsive, but he gave me five hundred bucks to have sex with him, and I really couldn't say no."

Felicity hadn't meant to share so much, but once her mouth started going, she wasn't able to stop. Hazarding a glance at Sara, she could see the woman's eyes focused on her intently. She couldn't read her, but then Sara said, "The world is a fucked up place, isn't it?" Felicity nodded. "We've all had to do things we didn't want to do, whether it be for money or for our survival. I killed a kid carrying a machine gun in order to save my CO during that attack on our convoy. That's stayed with me ever since."

They sat in silence for a long time afterwards, contemplating the admissions they'd both made to each other. Felicity could see why Sara was the way she was. She had not only been captured during her time in the military, but she'd also killed people, and that left her with a burden much larger than her own. Still, it hadn't been easy telling her own story, Felicity realized. She'd never actually told anyone how she got into the sex industry. Sara was the first person she'd ever confided in.

"Do you regret it?" Sara asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Some days I do, some days I don't," Felicity said. "I see it as a stepping stone, a mistake I needed to learn from even though I continued to make it over and over again."

"How did you end up so deep in debt?"

"My ex…" she answered, her eyes drifting toward the window as she absently rubbed the heart shaped pendant on her necklace. "He… He got into a lot of trouble during our senior year at MIT. One night, he needed bail money, and I told him I'd help out. Even though I was on a partial scholarship, I had no other income and had borrowed a lot of money in order to continue my education, so that night, I went to the part of town where the prostitutes usually hung out and took on a few Johns.

"When he found out what I'd done in order to get the money, he was furious. We got into a very loud verbal argument and he hit me. Once he started, he didn't stop. It wasn't until Myron, his roommate, walked in and saw what was happening that he finally did. And that was only because Myron put Cooper in a headlock while his date called campus security. I ended up with a broken nose, two black eyes, three broken ribs, and a broken arm."

Tears had begun to roll down Felicity's cheeks, landing in her hands where they lay balled up in her lap. She didn't dare look up at Sara fearing what she'd see on the blonde's face. She'd only told that story to a couple of people: the cops who had taken her statement and the therapist she'd seen in Cambridge after the incident.

"What happened to your ex?" Sara softly asked.

"He went to jail, but not for beating me. The police sided with him and didn't press charges saying that I'd brought this on myself. That pissed me off, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. The following week, I anonymously sent the FBI everything that Cooper and I had been working on the entire semester. It was a super virus that could hack into any computer and retrieve data. We were going to use it to wipe out student debts, but I had second thoughts after what he did to me. They raided his dorm, arrested him, confiscated his computer, and off to jail he went, never to be seen or heard from again," Felicity explained.

"But things got complicated for me when they found out I wrote most of the code for the virus. I had to hire a lawyer, and that's what sunk me. In the end, the DA offered me a plea bargain and I managed to stay out of jail by testifying against Cooper. The attorney cost an arm and a leg, but she was worth every penny if it mean he couldn't do what he did to me, to another person. He might not be locked up for assault, but I'll take what I can get."

Beside her, Sara smiled as she reached out and grasped her hand. "No woman should ever suffer at the hands of men," she said in calm determination. "What you did in Boston was very brave and I admire you for having the guts to tell me all this. You, Felicity Smoak, are a real hero."

"So are you, Sara. You fought for our country and probably saved countless lives. I admire you for that," Felicity replied, giving her a watery smile as they gazed at each other.

Sara let go of her wrist and wrapped her arms around the younger woman. "Thank you," she whispered into Felicity's ear as she held on tight.

"You're welcome."

The moment ended when the pilot announced their descent into Los Angeles. They sat back in their respective seats and buckled in for landing while still holding hands.

As it turned out, LA wasn't as bad as Felicity thought it would be. Sara knew all the spots that would provide them with the most privacy, starting with their lunch destination. It was a little hole-in-the-wall gastro-pub she'd discovered while on leave years ago that had a great mix of fusion food. They ordered several small plates and munched on them until they were full.

Their next stop was Rodeo Drive, and with Oliver's black AmEx card in hand, Sara went nuts. She dragged Felicity to Anne Fontaine, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Jimmy Choo, La Perla, Valentino, and Versace, filling her arms with the finest clothes she'd ever seen. None had price tags reminding her they probably cost more than her apartment or her car and that these were places where people with money shopped.

By the time they'd finished, the trunk of their rented car was filled to the brim with bags. Most of them belonged to Felicity while a few were Sara's. She didn't dare ask how much they'd racked up on Oliver's credit card, but knew it was probably well over a hundred grand. They ate an early dinner at another tiny Mexican restaurant with only a bar for seating before heading back to the jet.

The return trip home was a little quieter and subdued. The sun set to the west providing them with the most beautiful sunset Felicity had ever seen. She took a quick photo of it with her phone before putting it back into her purse and settling against the warm leather seat. She hadn't realized she'd dozed off until Sara shook her awake.

"We're home," she said with a smile before unbuckling her seatbelt and heading for the door.

Felicity followed. Sleeping through a landing was something she'd never experienced before. Then again, the exhaustion that came after a day of shopping with Sara was also new. As she stepped down the stairs, she noticed a black sedan waiting for them outside the hangar. Stepping foot on the tarmac, its back door opened and out stepped Oliver, still dressed as casually as he'd been that morning.

"Hey, you," Sara said as she sidled up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. A chaste kiss was pressed to her lips before they pulled away from each other.

When he saw Felicity walking up behind them, Oliver pulled away. He caught her by the wrist, dragging her into the fray, and kissed her as well. She pulled away quickly, her face turning a bright shade of red. This felt too exposed for her liking. They were still standing on the tarmac, in view of everyone to see, even if they were on a private airfield. It made her uneasy. Their relationship was a private one, and the last thing she wanted was for someone to catch the three of them in a compromising position.

Felicity could deal with things if they were just between her and Oliver, but adding Sara to the mix was like opening a whole new can of worms. That was one rumor she couldn't even begin to contemplate.

"Are you okay?" Oliver quietly asked.

Realizing she'd been quiet for far too long, Felicity's head snapped up and their eyes met. "Fine!" she said, a little too cheerfully. "I'm just tired from the trip."

Beside her, Sara grinned. "Don't get too comfortable. I have plans for you tonight," she said, her smile turning almost predatory.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a small warning: This chapter is pretty kinky and includes a lot of bondage/restraint. I figured I'd warn those of you who aren't very kinky, just in case. But overall, it's very sexy.

Everything was pitch black. From behind the blindfold, Felicity could see nothing. She could only hear and feel, and right now, she felt Sara's hands shackling her wrists above her head and heard the locks click into place before she stepped away. The chain that hung from the ceiling slowly inched upwards until Felicity's feet barely touched the ground, leaving her hanging helplessly, waiting for whatever her Mistress had in store for her that evening.

Sara didn't have to be at work until midnight, giving them four uninterrupted hours of play. "I think after what you've told me today, you need some time to clear your mind," she'd said the moment they stepped into the spacious penthouse. Oliver had cocked his head at them, but hadn't said anything. Instead, he had slipped past them and headed somewhere off to the right of the kitchen.

Felicity had agreed to do as Sara said. Immediately upon entering the living room, she had been told to strip out of her clothes and stand naked in the bedroom until Sara had come out of the walk-in closet holding a blindfold. It was promptly secured over Felicity's eyes before she was led into another room, the one she was in now.

The black silk was untied and removed. As her eyes adjusted to the low light, Felicity could finally see it looked very much like a modern dungeon with bare concrete walls and gothic chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. There wasn't much else aside from a wooden table several feet in front of her.

Felicity's first reaction was fear, but soon she realized that she had chosen to do this. There had been no force involved. Sara had simply asked her if she wanted to try something new, and Felicity had agreed. If there was anyone to blame for getting into this situation, it was herself. It had been years since anyone had tied her up like this, and the last experience had left her in pain for several days. She tested the thick leather cuffs around her wrists to find it only succeeded in making them tighter.

'What have I gotten myself into?' Felicity's mind asked over and over again as she continued to struggle with the binds. Although she didn't fear Sara or what she planned on doing to her tonight, this was still one of the most frightening position she could find herself in. She didn't like being so helpless, so reliant upon her Mistress for whatever little relief she would give. It made Felicity uneasy, and as she tried once more in vain to get out of the leather cuffs, she heard a door slam from behind her and the clicking of high heels tapping across the cold floor. She tried to crane her neck to see who had entered the room, but couldn't.

The heels inched closer as a gust of cool wind hit Felicity from behind. A shiver ran up her spine when she felt a small, soft triangle of leather run down her bare back and stop to hover just above her ass. "Hello, baby girl," Sara said as she walked around to face Felicity.

Gone were her black jeans and navy shirt. They had been replaced with a black leather teddy and a pair of knee high leather boots. In her right hand she held a riding crop which she kept tapping her right hand with as she surveyed the incapacitated woman in front of her. Sara smiled her mischievous smile as she nodded her head. "So pretty. So delicate. Like a flower. This is definitely going to be one night to remember."

"What are you doing to me?" Felicity meekly asked as she tried to struggle out of the leather cuffs once again. She was quickly silenced by a quick crack of the crop on her ass.

She grimaced as Sara smiled and in a harsh voice replied, "Rule number one, no speaking unless spoken to. Is that understood?"

Felicity mutely nodded, earning her another whack across the back of her thighs that made her yelp in pain. "Yes, Mistress!" she cried out, her voice echoing through the cavernous room.

"Good," Sara said. She turned around and headed back towards the door leaving Felicity to guess what she was going to do. A few moments later she returned holding a long leather strap with a red ball in the center. "I'd hate to use this on you. I love listening to your voice when you come." It was set down on the ground at Felicity's feet, a reminder of the trouble she'd be in if she spoke out of turn.

Sara moved a little closer, her riding crop gently making its way down Felicity's neck, over her breastbone, across her abdomen, and stopping just short of the patch of curls between her legs. Felicity sucked in a ragged breath as the crop made its way back up, except this time the soft leather strip made a detour across her breasts to gently run over her nipples. She wasn't expecting to succumb so quickly to the caress, but there she was, already withering for more.

The smile on Sara's face told Felicity she had her right where she wanted her: begging for more. She continued to run the crop over Felicity's body, purposefully avoiding contact with any of her sensitive areas as she silently pleaded for more. The pleasure Sara got from watching her sub yield was written all over her face. Felicity could see it clearly as she watched the blonde maneuver the crop up her arms, over her thighs, and sometimes graze her nipples when she least expected it.

Each touch sent a jolt of electricity down her spine. Felicity felt her body respond immediately. Heat pooled low in her belly as her nipples tightened into stiff peaks. Between her thighs, moisture began to dribble down her saturated pussy.

By the time Sara finally withdrew the crop, Felicity was gulping for air. She didn't know this much pleasure could come from such a small object and was slowly beginning to forget she was suspended from the ceiling with leather cuffs around her wrists. Sara laid the crop down at her feet, this time using her hands to slowly creep up Felicity's legs, past her thighs, and over her abdomen until she finally reached her desired location: her breasts.

As she gently palmed one of the luscious mounds in her left hand, she flicked her thumb over a swollen nipple causing Felicity to hiss. Before she had time to think about what was happening, Sara had already taken the hard pebble into the warm confines of her mouth and gently sucked on it. Felicity moaned in pleasure, throwing her head back as Sara's right hand began to massage her other breast, rolling the nipple between her thumb and forefinger. Sara released the nipple she had been holding hostage in her mouth then gently blew on it, causing Felicity to shudder in ecstasy. This was only the tip of the iceberg, she realized. Sara had so much more in store for her, more than she expected, and all for the sole purpose of making her forget her past for a little while.

As she moved over to bestow the other breast with the same pleasures as the first one, Sara's unoccupied hand slowly made its way down Felicity's abdomen, stopping to caress the silky triangle of curls between her legs. Felicity's moans became louder as Sara dragged out the caress, running her fingers through the fine strands of hair several times, massaging the skin beneath them, and pulling it tight to see what kind of reaction she got. The rougher the caress, she discovered, the louder Felicity's cries became until finally, her fingers ventured away from the curls and slid over her slit.

Felicity cried out, unable to take the torture any longer. She wanted more, but had to wait to get it. Feeling Sara's hand slip between her legs and gently caress the soft lips only served to make her keen even louder. Her fingers pried open the hot, wet folds, letting the juices finally flow free down her inner thighs.

Sara released her nipple and slowly began to make her way down Felicity's abdomen, her fingers still caressing the soft, wet folds. She stopped at her navel, kissing her way around it in circles until her tongue finally dipped inside, sending a shockwave that rocked Felicity's body almost off its foundation.

Sara smiled and continued kissing her way down until she reached the soft downy curls between her legs. Her tongue played across them, staying there for a couple of moments before plunging deeper. Felicity shuddered, but it didn't stop the hands that slowly parted her legs, giving Sara more room to work her magic. She started by lapping up the juices that had run down Felicity's leg, then moved upwards, her tongue slipping across the moist folds once more before it dove between them and deep into her hot, wet cunt.

Closing her eyes, Felicity let the sensations quickly render any other bodily movement useless. Many men had tried this technique on her a couple of times without success, but Sara was unbelievably gifted in making her limp with pleasure as her tongue slowly rolled its way over her ever tightening walls. The impending ache of her orgasm built strongly in the depths of her loins as Sara's tongue continued its rough caresses, and just when Felicity thought she'd finally hit her release, Sara pulled out of her, licking her lips as she stood up, pressing her body up against Felicity's. She whimpered, her soul aching for the release that didn't look like it was going to come in a long time.

"Don't worry," Sara whispered as she gently caressed her cheek with her hand. "Soon, baby girl, very soon." She leaned into Felicity and gently placed a soft kiss on her neck. Sara bent down once more, getting Felicity's hopes up that she would return to her aching folds to finish the job, but she only picked up the riding crop. Sara ran the leather tip down Felicity's overly sensitive skin, making her shiver all the more as she smiled and turned to leave.

"No!" Felicity cried out when she heard the door slam. Her head dropped as she felt the strain of the cuffs on her wrists. This was really beginning to hurt. Felicity wanted to be let down. Her shoulders ached from the way they'd been shackled together. She only hoped that Sara would return quickly.

To pass the time, she glanced around the room, noting its stark features. There weren't many things to look at. Most of the walls were smooth gray concrete with no windows. The floor was pure black marble that reflected the ceiling's light fixtures, all of which were black aside from the white faux flickering candles that lit them.

After several minutes passed and all hope of Sara returning quickly faded, Felicity let her head drop again and decided to rest, even though it was quite hard considering the persistent ache throughout all her muscles. She relaxed, letting her body sag against the tight chain. Sleep quickly took its hold of her tired being and she was knocked out awaiting for Sara's return.

* * *

Felicity awoke feeling the gentle caress of a hand running up her thigh. It was then that she also realized she was laying on something hard. Looking around to see what had changed, she found that her hands were now bound on either side of her head as she laid spread eagle on the wooden table, her ankles shackled apart with only enough chain to let her move her knees up as Sara's hands continued to run along her legs. Felicity moaned, feeling the delicious sensation of Sara's fingers softly running through the downy hair between them.

"Finally," Sara purred when she heard Felicity's moan. She looked up at the blonde and smiled. "Time for a little more fun. I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of slipping off that ghastly outfit for something a little more comfortable." Sara straightened up and watched as Felicity's eyes widened. She wasn't wearing anything anymore, and her body was lightly oiled. "You don't mind, do you?" she asked, her red lips pouting.

Felicity shook her head. "No, Mistress," she answered.

Sara smiled again, adding, "Good, then I hope you don't mind this either."

She hopped up onto the table and straddled Felicity's waist, gently sitting down between her inner thighs. Sara reached over the table and grabbed a bottle of rose scented oil, pouring some into her hands and rubbing them together to warm it. Felicity watched with great anticipation where she put them.

They ended up on her stomach, gently massaging the oil around her abdomen and down around her hips. Their soothing touch continued to climb upward from there to just above Felicity's ribcage, right below the gentle slope of her breasts. She moaned, wishing they would already reach her hardening nipples and begin to caress them as they had the rest of her body.

"Do you like that, baby girl?" Sara whispered as she leaned over Felicity's body to whisper in her ear, her hands traveling right along with her so that the now rested on her breasts.

"Yes, Mistress," Felicity keened when she felt Sara slowly begin to knead them with her strong fingers. She arched into her palms, moaning for more of the wonderful caress. Sara smiled as she sat up and continued to massage Felicity's breasts until her face was flushed with need. Sara stopped, but not before giving her nipples one final pinch, eliciting a groan from Felicity that made her shudder with excitement.

"Why don't we try something else?" Sara suggested as she reached over the table again, this time picking up a piece of crescent shaped ice from a bowl above Felicity's head. She let a few drops of cold water fall onto Felicity's stomach and watched as she arched her back in response. Sara smiled, finally allowing the ice to come into contact with her sensitized skin.

A moan escaped Felicity's throat as the ice circled its way around her abdomen and over her thighs, leaving a trail of droplets in its wake. Sara quickly lapped them up with her skillful tongue as Felicity writhed beneath her. It was just the response she had anticipated as she grabbed another piece of ice from the bowl and started back up her abdomen and along her sternum. She circled her breasts, waiting for the moment when she could see the ache written all over Felicity's face before she allowed them the pleasure of experiencing the ice.

Felicity cried out feeling the cold pressed up against her taught right nipple as Sara's hand squeezed the left one until it was rock hard. She switched hands, giving the other breast a taste of what the first one had experienced. Sara continued massaging the ice into Felicity's skin until the crescent melted, forming a small puddle between the two soft mounds. She quickly licked it up and reached for one more ice cube and something else that Felicity couldn't see until it was right in front of her. It was a burning candle, the white wax already beginning to run down its side. She knew what Sara had planned next and was already anticipating the heat to fall onto her skin.

"Oh, fuck!" Felicity cried when she felt the first drop of hot wax fall onto her stomach. She jumped at the sensation, hissing her response as well.

Sara grinned at her with gleaming eyes. That was just a test to see if the wax was hot enough, Felicity realized. Satisfied, Sara placed the ice cube in the hand on Felicity's left nipple then dripped the wax onto her right. The sensation caused Felicity to cry out like she had never done before.

The alternating currents of hot and cold caused her to squirm beneath Sara's body and find more delicious friction between them until Sara finally began to blush. Felicity had found her Mistress's weakness. She continued to move beneath Sara until she sat up on her knees and looked down at her. "You're being a very naughty girl, Felicity," Sara warned in a condescending tone. "You'd better stop if you'd like to receive the gift I have planned for you."

'Gift?' Felicity thought, quickly abandoning any attempt she had to alleviate Sara's assault on her body. "What gift?" she asked aloud.

"What did I tell you about speaking without being spoken to?" Sara sternly asked as she grabbed one more thing off the table. This time it was the black blindfold, which she wrapped around Felicity's eyes as punishment for speaking without permission. She whimpered, wishing she hadn't broken the rule. Felicity desperately wanted to see what Sara's little surprise was.

"Trust me," Sara whispered as she leaned over Felicity, their breasts coming into contact with each other, "it's more fun blindfolded." Felicity gasped at the contact, but was soon silenced as Sara's lips came into contact with hers.

Sara took Felicity's lips between her own as Felicity forcibly thrust her tongue into Sara's mouth, fearing that she was going to die if she didn't. Over the next few minutes, the battled over control continued as Felicity tried to dominate her companion, but Sara kept going as if no one could stop her, forcing Felicity's tongue back and straining against her mouth until they pulled apart, both in desperate need for oxygen as they panted.

After Sara regained control of her breathing, she went in for another kiss, this time pressing her lips against Felicity's for a softer, more intimate touch than the all encompassing battle the first one had been. It was supposed to be for fun, but turned into something neither of them had anticipated.

This kiss continued as Felicity slightly parted her lips, letting Sara's tongue gently slip into her mouth and glide over her palate. She moaned, content with the slow pace of this kiss compared to the first one. She was beginning to like it. If Sara sensed Felicity's surrender, it didn't matter. She liked the way her Mistress made her feel at that moment. The pace changed, allowing Felicity the chance to speed up the pace or slow it down however she liked.

Felicity took the lead and softly nibbled on Sara's lower lip, making her moan lightly as her tongue slowly made its way into her mouth. It gently slid along her gum line and over her teeth until Felicity's tongue finally fell upon Sara's. She could already feel the control she had over this woman, and was beginning to test how far she'd let her go. Felicity continued to play with Sara's tongue as Sara's hands slowly moved down her sides to rest on her hips as she ground against Felicity with her pelvis.

The illusion of control shattered when one of Sara's hands worked its way between their tightly pressed bodies and pried open her wet folds to apply pressure on her swollen clit. Felicity jerked back, wide eyed even through the blindfold. She panted for a couple of moments as Sara continued to stroke her with short, rough motions. If only her hands weren't tied up, she'd probably be doing the same thing to Sara. As she continued, the strokes became stronger and rougher until Sara finally pinched the little bud between her fingers and held it there as Felicity flushed beneath her. It was torture feeling so much pleasure and being unable to release it.

But Sara had yet another surprise in store for her. Felicity could feel her reach above her head and grab something else, then felt a new texture glide across her skin. It was smooth and soft as it circled her nipples before sliding down her abdomen until it rested against her mound.

"Tell me, Felicity, how often do you masturbate?" Sara asked as she continued to rub the unknown object between her sub's folds and over her clit.

"Often, Mistress," Felicity answered.

"What do you use?"

"A dildo, Mistress."

"Then you'll love this," Sara said. She pulled the object away and a moment later Felicity heard a faint buzzing. She held her breath as the tip pressed between her folds and stopped at her slick entrance, the vibrations sending jolts through her body.

Felicity's head rolled back as she bit down on her lower lip to prevent herself from crying out. The vibrator remained there, stroking up and down her pussy without pause.

"Beg," Sara ordered.

"Please!" Felicity groaned. "Please, Mistress!" she cried, this time with a little more conviction, and was rewarded when Sara slowly pushed the vibrator deep into Felicity's slick pussy, giving her the pleasure she so desperately craved. One hand pumped the thick shaft into her as the other stroked her clit in time with each thrust.

"Do you like that, Felicity?" Sara asked when she felt Felicity's knees rise off the table to help her pump faster and let her feel a much deeper pleasure. Felicity nodded, her head quickly beginning to cloud over with the powerful orgasm that was rapidly building deep in her loins. Only a little more of this torturous pleasure and it would rip through her like a chainsaw.

"But it's not like the real thing, is it?" Felicity shook her head, knowing that the sensation of something warm and pulsating deep within her was much more pleasurable. She would have been sent over the edge by now if she had a man buried inside her wet folds and not some damn vibrator.

"Would you like the real thing, Felicity?" Sara asked.

"Yes, Mistress!" Felicity practically wept, praying the torture would end soon and she'd be allowed the orgasm that had building for the past few hours.

Sara promptly pulled the vibrator out and shut it off, leaving Felicity gasping for breath. She knew if this sexual frustration wasn't released soon, she'd probably die. Her heart continued to race as she felt Sara get off the table and someone new slid between her spread knees. A moment later, something else replaced the vibrator, something thick, warm, and pulsating.

The shackles around Felicity's ankles were released, allowing her legs to move freely once more. Instinct told her she was in the presence of someone familiar, someone she had no trouble relinquishing control to. Her legs wrapped around his waist, mind already lost in the sensation of being filled to the brim with nothing but pure male cock. She wanted release, and she wanted it now, no matter who or what gave it to her.

A pair of hands snaked their way up over her hips and along her sides until they rested firmly over her breasts, gently kneading them with strong, calloused fingers. She arched into them, causing an even more delicious sensation between her legs as he slipped deeper, filling her completely. Felicity gasped for breath, unable to hold on any longer. Soon, her hands were also released from their confines, allowing her to reach up to grab a hold of her blindfold, but soon felt the slap of a crop against them.

"Ah! Ah! No peeking!" Sara scolded from somewhere above her head.

Felicity reluctantly took her hands away from the fabric and let them wander to the strong hands that were still massaging her breasts. They were big and warm and fit perfectly around each sloping mound. Their fingers interlocked as he spread her arms out to either side of her body and leaned in for a deep, passionate kiss that her mouth devoured as he continued to thrust into her harder and faster.

He then released her hands, allowing them to fall on his back as that ever growing ache finally reached its pinnacle. Felicity's nails dug into his skin as she tightened her grip around his waist and let out the scream she had been holding back the entire time. When release finally hit, her entire body shuddered as the shockwaves continued to radiate outward into all of her extremities. He came soon after, causing her body to go into convulsions yet again for another mind numbing orgasm. Sara was right; the blindfold really had made things more exciting.

When it was all over, Felicity found herself falling limp against the table, sated, her body so worn out by the experience it was barely able to function beyond the most essential of tasks like breathing and circulating blood. The warm weight on top of her was a welcome relief from the cold table top as it rested against her sweat drenched skin.

She had the sudden urge to reach up and touch her lover's face. Her hand fell upon his forehead and traveled downward along his cheekbone, over his stubble and to his lips, which he used to gently kiss Felicity's fingertips. She signed. It was then that she snuggled up beneath the warm body and fell into a blissful sleep.

* * *

It was hours before Felicity awoke feeling the sun's warm rays falling upon her skin. The scent of sex and silk sheets was heavy in the air, reminding her of the wonderful night she had spent with her Mistress and undoubtedly her Master as well. She knew she was in a different room judging from the soft sheets and mattress around her body and the fact there were windows. With a content sigh, she opened her eyes and let them adjust to the brightness.

She was in their bedroom, laying beneath the comforter with the bed devoid of any other bodies. Felicity sat up, whimpering when she felt her stiff muscles scream in pain. Today was probably a good day to just spend in bed doing nothing, she thought. But then her stomach growled so she grabbed the white terry cloth robe that had been set at her feet. She slipped it over her sore shoulders and walked to the door, hoping to find Sara and Oliver in the kitchen. Grabbing the knob, she twisted it and pulled the door open only to run face first into a solid wall of muscle.

Above her, Oliver chuckled. "Good morning," he said. His voice was a low rumble, one that made her stomach swoop.

"Good morning, Sir," Felicity replied as she gazed up at him with a smile. When their eyes met, she was lost in the endless blue irises that stared back at her. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her lips before walking her back into the room and shutting the door behind him.

"Did you enjoy last night?"

"Mmhmm, I did. Very much so, Sir," she answered.

Oliver's arms slid around her waist, pulling her to his chest. "What did last night teach you?"

They stared at each other for several moments before Felicity decided she wanted to have a little more fun this morning. Grinning up at him, her hand began to play with the front of her robe. "You know what last night taught me?" she asked, finally untying the knot and letting her index finger seductively trace down her chest, opening the front of the robe a little more. She could see his eyes follow her finger and knew she had his attention. "Life is great when you let the mind take a vacation and let your body do what it wants." She grabbed the lapels of his jacket and pulled him into her, their lips barely touching as she whispered, "Maybe we should do it again."

Felicity pressed her lips up against his as she slid the black coat off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor as his hands snaked beneath her white robe and pulled it away from her body to expose her naked flesh. Her fingers began to play at the hem of his white sweater, tugging it up slowly as Oliver gently pushed her down against the bed. Felicity moaned into his mouth as he pinned her on the mattress. She liked this dominant side of Oliver. It aroused her, making her wet almost instantly.

Finally, after struggling for a few moments, Oliver's shirt was discarded on the floor beside his coat. Their bare chests heaved against each other as they continued to kiss, only breaking for moments at a time to take in oxygen, then plunging right back in as hands tugged and pulled at clothing until both were naked, still pressed up against the side of the bed with Felicity's legs on either side of Oliver's hips. She could feel his thick cock pressed up against her hot wet folds, teasing her as she rubbed against him, her body writhing as his skilled hands played with her breasts, kneading them and rolling her nipples between his fingers until they were rock hard and sore.

"Don't stop," Felicity moaned as he pulled away from her lips and began kissing his way down the pale column of her neck, pausing for a couple of moments to nibble on her earlobe, then continuing his way downward again over her collarbone until he finally reached her right breast. His tongue made a pass over her nipple as she arched toward him until he finally grabbed it between his teeth and slowly began to suck on it.

Felicity groaned as her hands found their way to his hair and filtered through it. Oliver switched to the other breast, bestowing the same pleasures on it as the one before. She tightened her hold on his hips as he pulled away, this time giving her a sly smile as he gazed down, azure eyes on fire with lust and passion.

"Say it," he whispered, slowly grinding his hips against her.

"Fuck me, Sir," Felicity moaned, the sensation so intense it nearly caused her eyes to roll to the back of her head.

"Louder," Oliver demanded, looking straight at her as he waited for her to say it again.

"Fuck me, Sir!" she finally cried, her tone begging him to impale her where she lay.

"Good girl," he huskily whispered close to her ear as he leaned into her, his arms spread to either side of her head, and kissed her swollen red lips.

Before Felicity had a chance to take everything in, she felt Oliver thrust deep into her wet cunt. Her back arched on its own accord as her body cried out for more. His arms slipped beneath the small of her back, keeping her hips tilted at just the right angle for the most pleasure and deepest penetration. She groaned as he thrust his hips, every push sending her closer and closer to release.

Her muscles tightened as the orgasm continued to grow to proportions she had yet to experience with any other man. Felicity knew this was definitely going to be one of those times where her body would probably give out as soon as it was over. Her arms wrapped around Oliver's neck as she braced herself for the earth shattering climax that would soon rip through her.

"Yes! Just like that!" she screamed, his pumping growing harder and faster as they both desperately tried to hang on to their last ounces of strength.

Oliver grunted as her nails dug deeper into his back, but held her tightly as if he was afraid to let her go. As he sank deeper and deeper with each thrust, her cries grew louder and louder until a blood curdling scream escaped Felicity's lips as she came, her muscles tightening around him as she clung to his body for dear life. Soon, he also fell victim to the orgasm that radiated throughout his body, and slumped forward, landing on top of her.

They lay there in each other's arms at the edge of the bed, their bodies so exhausted it took willpower just to breathe. Felicity was the first to recover some of her strength and gently ran her fingers through Oliver's hair as his head lay atop her chest, his breathing coming in short gasps as he continued to hang onto her as if she was the tether that kept him from slipping off the face of the earth. When he finally realized that he had her pinned beneath his body, he used whatever strength he had to lift himself off and fell onto the bed, unable to support himself any longer.

"Did that feel good to you? Because that felt amazing to me," Felicity said as she gazed into those soft azure eyes, a bright smile illuminating her face. Oliver merely nodded his head while smiling back at her. "Good," she replied, snuggling up against him as he wrapped himself around her body, still exhausted and letting the sleep that leaded down his eyelids finally envelop him. Felicity soon followed suit as they fell asleep in each other arms.

When the bed dipped and another body slid into the fold, Felicity cracked an eye open to find Sara snuggling up beside her. She turned away from Oliver to gaze at her other lover with a soft smile on her lips.

"Hey, did I wake you?" Sara whispered as she pulled the covers over her naked body. Light still streamed in through the windows, which had dimmed automatically once the sun began beating down on them.

"It's okay," Felicity replied.

"No, it's not," Sara said. "Come here." She stretched her arms out and waited until Felicity had snuggled into her before enveloping her in a warm embrace. It was different from Oliver's, but warm and comforting just the same. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Sore, but good," Felicity answered. "Thank you for last night. I needed it."

Sara merely grinned down at her before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "Do your shoulders hurt?" Felicity nodded and soon felt Sara's hands massaging her aching muscles. "Go back to sleep," Sara ordered when she melted into her arms and yawned.

"Okay," Felicity sleepily replied, closing her eyes once more. "But only if you promise to let me return the favor," she added.

"Of course, baby girl. Anything for you," Sara cooed into her ear before she gave in to sleep and the gentle ministrations of her Mistress's hands upon her skin.


	16. Chapter 16

Lazy Sunday afternoons were just that: lazy. Felicity remained curled up under the covers absorbing the quiet stillness around her. To her right, Oliver slept peacefully with his arm wrapped around her waist and his head nestled in the crook of her neck. The left side of the bed was empty, though. Sara had received a call about an hour earlier and had to rush out. After pressing a soft kiss to Felicity's lips, she had scurried into the closet and had thrown on her clothes before running out the door in a hurry.

That left Felicity with a lot of time on her hands while her other lover slept peacefully beside her. The TV remote wasn't too far out of reach, so she grabbed it, intent on flipping through the channels until she found something interesting, but as she reached over, Oliver shifted, pressing himself closer, the stubble peppering his chin and cheeks rasping against her shoulder. Its effects were immediate.

A shiver ran down Felicity's spine, one she couldn't ignore. Glancing down at him, she found a gentle smile spread across his lips. He sighed before pressing a kiss to her bare flesh, then those beautiful azure pools fluttered open to gaze up at her.

"Hi," Oliver rasped, his voice low and gravelly.

Felicity smiled back, fingers filtering through his hair, and leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead. This moment with its unconventional intimacy struck her. She hadn't been this close with anyone in five years, yet Felicity found herself desperately wanting to be more than just a plaything for Oliver and for Sara. In less than a week, they'd managed to get under all her defenses, under all the walls she'd put up to protect herself against the hurt she'd experienced in her short life. She knew if she kept thinking about having more than just a physical relationship with the two of them, it would only end in disaster.

Her smile must have wavered because Oliver's face fell and he sat up on his elbows. "Are you okay?" he softly asked.

"Y-yeah," Felicity stuttered. "I'm fine."

"Please don't lie to me," Oliver replied. There was an edge to his voice she was quickly beginning to learn that meant he wasn't to be crossed. "I don't want to punish you again."

Sitting up, Felicity tugged the sheets closer to her chest as she stared down at the grey, black, and yellow pattern that adorned them. She really wanted to avoid confrontation today. Last night had been extraordinary, and all she wanted to do was hang onto that memory for a little while longer before reality came crashing down on her.

"Is it about what you told Sara yesterday?" Oliver asked.

Her eyes shot to his, open wide and radiating the fear she felt deep down. "She-she told you?" Felicity asked.

"When she wants to do a scene like that, it sets alarm bells off in my head, so I asked because we don't keep things from each other. She only told me that your ex hurt you, but she wouldn't elaborate on how." He waited a moment before adding, "I promised you I wouldn't dig into your past unless you said so, and I haven't. But I'm worried about you, Felicity. I'm worried that whatever secrets you've kept for this long are hurting you on the inside. And I want to help you, I really do, but only if you let me in."

The sincerity in his voice and in his eyes broke through all her defenses. Felicity wanted to cry, but she swallowed down her tears before they ever even reached her eyes. "If I tell you, will you let me in, too?" she replied. Oliver looked reluctant, his eyes flicking away from hers to stare down at his hands. Gently, Felicity reached out and lifted his chin with her fingers. "You wanted my help," she reminded him. "Let me help you."

There was a long pause that stretched between them as Oliver stared up at her, his azure eyes full of emotions she couldn't even begin to decipher at that moment. But there was one thing that she did see: pain. Pain so deep that it had become a part of who he was, and Felicity couldn't stop herself from reaching out to stroke her hand against his cheek. A soft smile appeared on her lips, and that was probably what broke him.

"What do you wanna know?" Oliver mumbled as his head sank back into his pillow.

Felicity continued stroking her fingers against the scruff on his cheeks. The comfort her gentle ministrations provided was evident when he sighed deeply and closed his eyes. "I'd like to know more about what happened between you and Laurel... Tommy... Sara."

Oliver cracked an eye open and stared at her. "She told you, didn't she?" he asked.

"Not everything, but enough to make me concerned that whatever  _you're_ hiding might be hurting you as well," Felicity reasoned.

Rolling onto his side, Oliver gazed up at her. After a beat of silence, he replied, "Okay, but first, lunch."

* * *

Felicity stepped into the small diner on Clark and 52nd as Oliver held the door open for her. They had dressed casually, in jeans and t-shirts, hoodies and baseball caps. This wasn't some fancy restaurant in downtown Starling, but a tiny hole-in-the-wall near the Glades and her apartment, far away from prying eyes and nosy paparazzi. They had taken Felicity's Mini, which had been stowed in an underground parking garage at the building behind the penthouse. Oliver had looked hysterical in the driver's seat of the tiny car, but all Felicity could do was smile as he drove through the back streets until they were far enough away from the hustle and bustle to let down their guard.

The diner was small with only a few booths and a long counter that stretched the length of the space. It was seat-yourself with a waitress coming by as soon as they settled into their booth at the back of the restaurant, as far away and concealed from the door as possible. They sat facing each other, and once their drink order had been taken, silence settled between them.

"So," Felicity started. "How do you wanna do this? We play a game like twenty questions or just start talking?"

"Twenty questions… Wow, it's been awhile since I've played that," Oliver replied with a chuckle.

"I know, right?" she asked with a smile.

"I don't think a game would be a good idea. I think we should just play this by ear. You ask me something, I answer, then I ask. We'll just bounce things off each other until there's nothing left."

"I doubt that'll be the case, but I think that sounds like a good idea."

"Alright," Oliver said. "Ladies first."

Felicity thought for a moment about her question. "I'd like to know more about you, about your family, about your relationship with them. And I know that's not exactly a question, but it works, right?"

Oliver stared at her for several moments, contemplating his answer. "Things with my family are… complicated, to say the least. My mom and dad aren't exactly parents of the year, but they aren't horrible either. But my sister… God, I love her. Her name is Thea, and ever since we were little, she's always been following me around, shadowing me. I used to call her Speedy because she'd race circles around me when we lived at the mansion. Then last year she finally got into fashion school in Paris. That was kinda the reason I wanted to take you there this weekend, so I could see her, but with Sara's work schedule being so fluid, it was best we stayed local."

"You miss her a lot, don't you?" Felicity asked.

"Very much, yeah," Oliver said with a resigned sigh. "Some days more than others. She used to be what kept me grounded. After the accident, she refused to leave my side until I had fully recovered, and even then, it seemed like she was always there to help me when I needed it. I'm pretty sure she's the only reason why I bothered to fight."

"So how did the accident happen, exactly?"

"Hey, I've already let one extra question slide. I think it's time that I got to ask you something."

Felicity leaned back in her faux leather seat. She knew he was trying to avoid talking about the accident, and she'd give him as much time as he needed, but some time that day, he would have to answer. It was only fair, especially if she was willing to talk openly about herself. "Ask away," she finally replied.

"Tell me about Cooper Seldon." Felicity shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Oliver raised his hands. "I know, not exactly the best topic to bring up, so you can shoot me down and I'll ask about something else, but I am curious after Sara told me he hurt you. She didn't tell me how or why. That's all she said."

With a deep sigh, Felicity pulled off her hoodie and set it down beside her, but left the Starling City Rockets cap on. This wasn't exactly the place she wanted to tell him this story, but considering they had just made a pact to tell each other their darkest secrets, it was only fair. The waitress waltzed over carrying two tall glasses of water and set them down before scurrying off to the kitchen again.

"I met Cooper in my junior year of college, and we hit it off really quick because we were both outcasts. We both came from rough backgrounds and we were both shunned by the rest of the student body for being different. The only person who was even remotely cool with us was his roommate, Myron, but even he got sick of us after we made out in front of him too many times. But that's beside the point and probably not something you wanted to hear."

Felicity hazarded a glance over at Oliver to find him stoically staring at her, his gaze just as intense as it had been when she started telling her story. There was just a hint of something odd in his eyes - jealousy? - but she ignored it and continued, "Cooper and I decided it would be fun to see what kind of program we could create one night when we got bored, so he came up with the parameters and I came up with the code.

"What we ended up with was a super virus that could hack into any government agency and overwrite files with new information. One night, Cooper decided to test it and see if he could get into the Department of Education. What I didn't expect was for him to get in and begin wiping out student loans. I freaked out because I knew we were going to get caught, so I pulled the plug, but it was already too late. The government was onto us, and the next day, they took Cooper into custody. He begged me to find a way to get enough money for his bail, and that's exactly what I did.

"I ended up in the part of Boston where most of the prostitutes hung out and picked up a few Johns that night for some quick cash. The next day, I bailed Cooper out of jail, but things didn't go so smoothly. When he asked me where I got the money, I gave him an honest answer because I loved him and I knew he loved me. I knew he'd be mad, but I didn't think he'd get so angry that he beat me until I was nearly unconscious."

Felicity paused, drawing in a deep, shaky breath. This was the second time in two days she'd told the story, and the more she recalled the details, the more it hurt saying them out loud. Across from her, Oliver shifted in his seat. He reached across the table and placed his hands on top of hers, giving them a gentle squeeze to encourage her.

Just as she was about to continued, the waitress returned to take their food orders. "Would you like anything else?" she politely asked. When both Oliver and Felicity shook their heads, she walked away, leaving them alone to talk their conversation.

After a sip of water, Felicity took a deep breath and kept going. "It was Myron who stopped Cooper from killing me. He wrestled him to the ground and put him in a headlock while his date called 9-1-1. I don't remember her name, but she was a pre-med major from Harvard. She helped me, assessed my injuries, stopped the bleeding until the paramedics arrived. I ended up with a broken nose, two black eyes, three broken ribs, and a broken arm. I looked so bad that even my mother couldn't recognize me when she flew in from Vegas after the hospital called her and told her about my injuries. She wanted me to come home, to quit school, but I was so close to finishing that I told her no.

"I had second thoughts when the police took my statement. Keep in mind, they had already talked to Cooper at that point, and he'd lied to them about the incident. They accused me of being a whore, saying that I asked for this, that it was pointless to pursue pressing charges against him because I would end up getting in trouble for whoring myself out. At the time, all I could do was cry because it felt like the whole world was against me and I had no one to turn to. But after an hour of sulking, I decided to get even. If Cooper was going to play it that way, then I was not going to let him win.

"That afternoon, I anonymously emailed every government agency I could think of: the FBI, the CIA, the NSA. I sent them copies of the finished super virus and made sure Cooper's name was all over them. They scooped him up the next day, confiscated everything he owned, and threw him in jail without bail this time. I thought I'd gotten my revenge, that this was over, but a few weeks after I got out of the hospital, the government came knocking on my door with a search warrant. I was smarter than Cooper in that sense, though. My laptop, or at least the one I'd used to create the virus on, was in a locker at Boston North Train Station, and Myron had stashed the key for me.

"I knew it was a matter of time before Cooper flipped on me, so I made sure to hire the best defense attorney in the city. And she was damn good. I might have sunk myself in debt, but it was worth it seeing the look on Cooper's face in the courtroom when he found out I'd taken a plea deal. Since I was still a minor at the time, they offered to seal me records in exchange for everything Cooper and I had worked on, just so long as I stayed out of trouble until I was twenty-one.

"I kept my end of the bargain, provided them with every line of code we ever wrote together, and Cooper was thrown into jail. It might not have been for beating me, but it still felt good knowing he could never hurt anyone, physically or metaphorically, for a long time," Felicity finished.

Oliver didn't say anything for several minutes. He simply stared at her with that stoic expression he seemed to have perfected. The waitress came by once more to ask if they needed anything else before the table fell into an uneasy silence. Felicity fidgeted with the sleeve of her hoodie, her brightly painted fingernails fiddling with the cuff until she couldn't stand the silence anymore.

"What are you thinking?" she desperately asked. "Because I know that was one hell of a heavy story to tell, especially since we've only been together for about a week. And, god, why am I making this sound like a relationship when I know it isn't?"

Oliver shifted in his seat, leaning towards her and taking her hands in his. "Hey," he gently whispered as he intertwined their fingers. "This  _is_ a relationship. And unconventional one, yes, but it's still more than just sex. I know the reason I hired you was so you could help me with my relationship problems, but that doesn't mean you're just a sex toy to me. Because you're not. You, Felicity Smoak, are a remarkable woman. You've faced adversity and you've come out on top. You might not be the woman I love, but I consider you a friend… A partner."

A soft smile lit up her face as she gazed back at him. "Thank you," she replied, giving his fingers a squeeze to acknowledge that she appreciated his kind words.

Although she wasn't in the market for love, Felicity would take the friendship and partnership Oliver offered. It was rare to find someone who genuinely cared about her. Helena, Barry, and Roy were the only other people that had ever given her a chance, and she was grateful to have them in her life, but they only knew the fractured fragments she willingly spoke of.

But Oliver… Oliver was different. He had consistently showed her trust beyond what was required, from respecting her wishes and staying out of her personal business until she was ready to tell him, to caring for her after all of their sexual encounters. He'd gone above and beyond what was required, and for that, Felicity had really come to trust him.

The silence that fell between them now was much easier than it had been earlier. It seemed as if the tension had ebbed away, leaving respect and promise in its wake. They stared at each other, fingers still intertwined, smiling as the waitress brought out their food and set it in front of them.

"So I guess I should probably tell you about the accident," Oliver said once she was out of earshot.

"Only if you want to. I don't wanna push you into telling me anything," Felicity replied before taking a bite out of her bacon cheeseburger. "Especially if you're not ready."

"You're not pushing," he said. "And I am ready. I  _want_ to tell you."

Smiling, Felicity put her burger down and wiped her hands on her paper napkin. "I'm listening," she said, reaching over the table to take his hand and give it an encouraging squeeze.

After a brief moment, Oliver began. "Before the accident, I wasn't exactly a great guy. I partied, a lot, and got into trouble on almost a daily basis. My parents weren't very happy with my choices in life, and although they tried to intervene several times, I just wasn't ready to listen to them. So whenever I got into trouble, they would always bail me out, give me an earful, then let me go and do stupid shit all over again without so much as a slap on the wrist.

"I met Laurel in our senior year of high school. She's…"

"Sara's older sister," Felicity finished for him. When he gave her a questioning look, she replied, "Sara already told me Laurel was her sister and that Sara had a crush on you in high school. She told me quite a few things yesterday that surprised me, but I'm just going to shut up now and let you finish your story because I've already said enough and I really just need to stop talking."

Across from her, Oliver chuckled lightly. "Alright, well, at least you know the basics," he replied. "I'm guessing she already told you we hooked up at a party, right?"

"Yep."

"It was our graduation party: Laurel, Tommy, and I. What she probably didn't tell you was how Laurel was obsessed with trying to make me a better person. She was trying to mold me into the perfect boyfriend, and I wasn't having any of that. I was eighteen. I had my whole life ahead of me. I just wanted to have some fun before everyone decided it was time for me to grow up. I just wasn't ready for responsibility, so when Sara started flirting with me, I flirted back, and soon things escalated to the point where my hand was under her skirt and her tongue was down my throat.

"At the time, I didn't have any regrets. Sara was fun and carefree, the exact opposite of Laurel's all work and no play attitude. And I wanted fun, so we kept sleeping together behind Laurel's back. It went on for over three years before Tommy walked in on Sara sucking me off in the middle of the apartment I shared with him.

"I couldn't understand why he was so angry with me at first. This was the guy who I partied with for years on end, who was my wingman, who practically threw me at women when we were at a bar or a club. Every single night of debauchery from high school into college was instigated by him. I had slept with dozens of women behind Laurel's back, all thanks to Tommy. But when he saw me with Sara, that's when he lost it.

"Sara was so stunned that night, she grabbed her clothes and was out the door in less than a minute, leaving me to deal with an angry and irate Tommy Merlyn. He kept saying, 'Of all the people you can choose to sleep with, you take home Laurel's little sister?' I had never seen him that angry before. I thought for a second he had a thing for Sara, so I threw that back at him. He denied it, of course, which was when he up and left before I could get in another word.

"I didn't find out until the next week that it wasn't Sara that Tommy had the hots for, it was Laurel. All those times he pushed me into another woman's arms was so that I'd drift farther away from hers, so that he could swoop in and save the day. I was angry. I felt like my best friend had betrayed me. At that time, we were all 'bros before hoes' and the like, which, looking back at it now, I realize was incredibly childish. I let a woman get between us and our friendship, something that we'd been cultivating for almost two decades by that point.

"That night, I went to confront Tommy about it. I'd been drinking, heavily, because I was young and stupid and felt that the only way I could get through it was with liquid courage. We fought in the apartment for a good twenty minutes, and apparently for half that time, Laurel was standing in the hallway listening to us.

"When it escalated to the point where Tommy turned to leave, I followed him and ran straight into Laurel, who proceeded to slap me in the face. I know I deserved it, but at the time, I was just so angry that I pushed past her, ignoring the sting, and went after Tommy instead. By the time I had reached him, he was already in his car, top down, gunning the engine, so I hopped in, and we continued arguing.

"I only remember bits and pieces of the things that led up to the accident, but I do recall we were shouting at each other at the top of our lungs as the wind whipped by us. I remember telling Tommy that he was an asshole and that I wished we were never friends because how dare he betray me like that, and a second later there were squealing tires and glass breaking, and everything just went black.

"I woke up hanging upside down from my seat belt. Everything hurt and I couldn't get my body to move, but I could see everything around me. I looked for Tommy, and when I found him…"

For the first time since he'd started his story, Oliver paused. He looked away from Felicity, but she had already seen the tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. Sunlight gleamed off them as he tried to wipe them away with the back of his hand.

Felicity got up from her side of the booth and went to sit beside him. Her hand fell on his back, gliding up and down the worn fabric of his forest green hoodie as she whispered, "Hey, it's okay. You don't have to tell me. You've already said enough."

What she saw in Oliver's eyes when he turned to look at her was pure, unadulterated pain and regret. She'd never seen someone so broken in her entire life. It was as if telling this story had brought out every single one of his demons for all the world to see when in reality it was only her. And, god, it hurt like hell to see him in that much pain. Felicity reached up, her free hand falling against his cheek as her thumb brushed away the tears that had fallen.

"I… I need to," he desperately replied. Felicity nodded and let her hand drop to his, her fingers wrapping around his wrist and squeezing it gently. Oliver took a deep, shuddering breath, and said, "When I… When I found Tommy… He was… um... He was still in the car, and uh… there was… there was a… tree branch sticking out of his chest."

A steady stream of tears flowed down Oliver's cheeks as he blew out a shaky breath and tried to wipe them away with the heels of his hands. Felicity scooted closer, and although she was much shorter than him, she still managed to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him in for a comforting hug. Burying his face in the crook of her neck, Oliver let out a silent sob as his body shook from the weight of his emotions.

She held him for what seemed like hours, one hand running up and down his back while the other raked through his hair and cradled the back of his head. Her lips pressed soft kisses to his forehead as she held him close. "I've never watched anyone die before," Oliver murmured against her neck. He pulled back to look at her with puffy eyes and a red nose. "You know how they say you can see the light fade out of someone's eyes when they pass? Well, that's exactly what I saw happen to Tommy. I only had a few moments with him, begging him to hold on, begging him not to die. I told him I was sorry, that I never meant to say all the things I'd said to him, that I would do anything to make it up to him. But he didn't say anything back. He just stared at me until he was gone."

Felicity held his head in her hands, her fingers wiping away the tears that continued to fall as he hiccupped for breath. "Oliver," she murmured, "I'm so sorry." Her heart hurt for him. Although she'd never watched anyone die, her life had been filled with tragedy. Seeing someone she considered to be so strong crumble beneath such a burden reminded her that Oliver was human after all. He had his own story, his own struggle to deal with.

"I've never told anyone that before," he sniffled. "Not even Sara."

"I'm glad you finally told someone," Felicity replied with a small smile. She leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to his lips before pulling back to watch a watery smile finally blossom on his face.

Then Oliver leaned in to kiss her, his lips capturing hers in a long, slow drag that had her grabbing onto the sleeve of his hoodie, pulling him closer as his hand cupped the back of her head. One kiss turned into two, two turned into four, and four turned into a ten minute make-out session as their food went cold on the table. Felicity relished in his touch, in the way his lips and teeth and tongue nibbled and licked her mouth, in the way his hand tangled in the loose locks of her hair, pulling her ever closer until she was practically sitting in his lap.

His free hand crept beneath her dark purple hoodie to the small of her back, the heat radiating off his palm shooting straight into her core. If this was what Oliver wanted,  _needed_ in order to recover from the pain of telling his deepest, darkest secret, Felicity wouldn't deny him. She'd kiss back like the good sub she was, give into him as much as he needed, until he felt well enough to pull away. If the waitress clearing her throat hadn't stopped them, they would have continued their lewd display of affection right there for all to see even if they had the most concealed booth in the diner.

Felicity flushed red as she pulled away from Oliver and sat back down on the faux leather seat beside him, her eyes focusing on the partially eaten plate of food in front of her. She picked at her fries as the waitress poured them fresh glasses of water before sauntering off behind the counter with a smirk on her face.

"I think we should take this to go and finish what we started elsewhere," Oliver whispered into her ear before pressing a line of kisses along her jaw.

Her head shot up to stare at him. "My apartment isn't too far from here," Felicity replied as a smile crept onto her lips.

"Check please!" Oliver called to the waitress.

Within minutes, their food was boxed up and paid for, with a generous tip to boot. They rushed out of the diner to Felicity's car and sped off. With her apartment less than five minutes away, she led them into the back alley, far away from any prying eyes that might have been camping out at her front door. Once Oliver had pulled into an empty spot at the back of the building and shut off the car, his hands immediately reached for her, pulling Felicity into his lap as his lips latched onto hers.

Her moan reverberated through the cab as she settled on top of him, arms immediately wrapping around his neck as his fingers dipped beneath the waistband of her jeans. The next half hour was spent kissing and grinding against one another to see who would break first. Much to her surprise, it was Oliver. All it took was for her to run her fingers over the bulge in his jeans and he groaned, grabbed her face in his hands, and pushed her back.

"Inside, now," he commanded.

Felicity pulled her keys out of the ignition and threw open the driver's side door. If it hadn't been for Oliver holding her so tightly against him, she would have fallen to the ground. But with one fluid motion, he had them both out of the car, her legs wrapped around his waist and her keys in his hand. He stopped at the back door, pressing her against it as her lips latched onto his neck, sucking bruises into his skin. His hips ground into the space between her thighs, hitting the spot that made Felicity nearly cry out.

"Fuck!" she muttered into his ear before sucking the lobe into her mouth.

"You need to stop that," Oliver growled as his fingers wrapped around her hair and pulled her head away from his neck. They stared at each other for several heated moments before his face cracked into a smile.

"And you need to open the door so we can take this inside," Felicity growled back defiantly, her hips grinding against his to emphasize her point.

"You are testing my patience, Miss Smoak," he warned, sliding the key into the lock.

"Just like you're testing mine," she replied with a wicked grin. Oliver nipped at her lips before grabbing the door knob and twisting. "Wait!" Felicity almost yelled as she pushed him back with her hand on his chest.

"What?" he asked, his eyes wide with a nearly panicked look.

Felicity pulled out her phone and punched in her code, disarming her security system. "You can enter now," she said with a predatory grin.

A moment later, the door swung open. It seemed as if Oliver had a thing for pulling the ground out from under her, both figuratively and literally. Her arms tightened around his neck as their eyes locked, and she could see the hint of something dangerous in those deep azure pools. It only served to excite her more.

Oliver walked them into the apartment, kicking the door closed behind him before dropping her keys onto the kitchen counter. His lips captured her mouth while his hands tugged her hoodie away from her body and over her head until it was thrown somewhere behind him. There was nothing but bare skin beneath, something he was quick to take advantage of as his lips roamed down her chin and kissed their way along the pale column of her neck until they reached her collarbone. He laved it with his tongue from end to end eliciting a long, low groan from Felicity's throat.

When his lips fell lower, sucking kisses along the top of her right breast, her fingers clawed through his hair, digging into his scalp as Felicity cried, "Oh, god, yes!" Then his tongue grazed her nipple and she keened, her back arching, thrusting the nub deep into his mouth.

She could feel the rumble of Oliver's chuckle against her chest, but his lips remained clamped around her breast, sucking and teasing it with his teeth and tongue. He continued walking her out of the kitchen and into the hallway that led to her bedroom. In an effort to stop them from bumping into furniture or any other random objects they could encounter, Felicity placed her hand against the wall, guiding him as he continued his torturous ministrations on her other breast.

They reached her bedroom a few moments later, but Oliver didn't put her down. He kept her suspended around his waist, his arms holding her tight until he'd had his fill fondling her breasts with his mouth. The little jolts of pleasure that ran down her spine when his teeth sank into her flesh fueled the fire in Felicity's loins. She keened and moaned, her nails digging into his scalp and raking down his back. If he kept this up any longer, Felicity knew she'd come just from his mouth on her breasts alone.

But then she felt Oliver begin to bend down and her back hit the cool duvet that covered her unused bed. His lips trailed away from her breasts, pressing soft kisses over her abdomen until he reached the waistband of her jeans. When he undid the button and pulled down the zipper, his mouth followed, tongue lapping at her skin as he tugged the garment away from her body. Just like her torso, Felicity was completely naked beneath, just as he'd requested before they left the penthouse that afternoon.

The cool air hit her moist folds causing her skin to prickle, but soon Oliver's mouth was there, his warm kisses fluttering against her flesh. Her knees fell open to either side of his head, parting her folds and giving him permission to do as he pleased. Without hesitation, his tongue licked down her slit before his mouth devoured her. Lips and teeth surrounded her clit, nipping at the sensitive little bud until her hips bucked wildly as her hands fisted in her sheets.

"Oh, fuck!" Felicity keened.

Soon Oliver's tongue dipped lower and swirled around her other hole before the tip pressed against it. She cried out, her eyes squeezing shut as he tucked his arm under the small of her back and lifted her slightly. At this angle, Felicity was completely exposed to him, pussy and ass on display and ripe for a good tongue lashing.

And he didn't disappoint. Oliver took his time, moving from one hole to the other, forcing her knees apart even further as she cried out in ecstasy. It wasn't long before her thighs began to shake. Felicity was about as close to the edge as she'd ever been. If he pressed his tongue to her clit, she knew she'd fall immediately. But he didn't.

Instead, Oliver pulled away, smirking down at her as she gazed up at him, out of breath and panting. "Please," Felicity whimpered. "Please fuck me, Sir."

"Oh, I will," he assured her, "but first, where do you keep all the fun stuff?"

"It's in my nightstand, Sir," she replied.

The first thing that was pulled out after he'd rummaged through the top drawer was a set of handcuffs. They were locked around her wrists and secured to the headboard of her bed before Oliver continued his search. This time he pulled out her favorite stainless steel plug and a bottle of lube, setting them down at her hips before he grabbed one last thing; a black silk blindfold.

"You've been a very naughty girl," Oliver said as he crawled onto the bed between her spread legs and settled himself there. "Talking back to me… That deserves a good spanking, but right now, I just really want to fuck you, so the handcuffs and blindfold will have to do." And with that, he placed the black silk over her eyes and tied it behind her head.

From that point on, all Felicity could do was feel: she felt Oliver roll her onto her stomach and pour a decent amount of lube over her anus before using his fingers to smear it around. When one began to prod the tight little hole, she relaxed, allowing him to slip it inside without much resistance. A second finger was added, stretching her open and she moaned.

"Do you like that, baby?" Oliver asked, his lips a breath away from her ear.

"Yes, Sir," Felicity moaned. "I love having your fingers in my ass. They feel so good."

And then he laughed, a deep, long, shuddering laugh that filled the room. Felicity tried to look back at him, but with her eyes covered by the blindfold, it wasn't possible. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"I'm sorry," he chuckled. "It's just… You sounded like some of the porn Sara and I like to watch when we're trying to get in the mood."

It was Felicity's turn to laugh. "Oh, my god! I'm so sorry! I swear, it's a habit I picked up working at the club. Guys really like the cliche porn lines so I've been dropping them for the longest time. I'll stop."

"Next time, a simple yes or no is fine," Oliver said. He brushed the hair away from her neck and pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder.

"I hope I didn't ruin the mood," she lamented.

"You didn't," he reassured, the two fingers still buried in her ass thrusting in and out as his thumb circled her clit. Felicity moaned in response, her hips bucking against his hand, looking for more delicious friction. In response, his free hand tilted her chin up as he kissed her. "Mmm, see," Oliver added, grinding his jean-clad crotch against her thigh so she could feel the hard press of his erection against it. "Mood has not been ruined."

"Good," Felicity replied. "Now please fuck me already! I've been on the edge for so long that if you don't, I just might scream."

Oliver chuckled again, only this time it was much lower and deeper, sending shivers down her spine. "You'll be screaming, alright," he whispered against her ear. Then he withdrew his fingers from her ass and quickly replaced them with the thick bulbous head of the plug.

Felicity gasped at the sudden full sensation then shrieked when Oliver grabbed her by the waist and flipped her so she lay on her back. He didn't give her much time to adjust to this new position before his mouth was wrapped around her nipples again. The deep moan that escaped her lips echoed off the bedroom walls, prompting him to suck on each pebbled nub even harder.

Completely lost to the sensations of his lips on her breasts and the plug in her ass, Felicity failed to noticed the sound of a zipper being pulled down and jeans being removed. It wasn't until she felt Oliver's cock come to rest against her slick entrance that her eyes widened behind the blindfold. He didn't give her time to think. He simply grabbed her ankles and threw her legs as wide as they'd go then thrust into her in one fluid motion.

Full to capacity was the only way Felicity could describe what it was like having his cock buried in her cunt with the plug in her ass. She clenched around both, her muscles spasming involuntarily as pleasure radiated out from her core into every nerve ending of her body. Oliver maneuvered her legs until her knees were pressed to her abdomen before pulling out and thrusting back in sharply.

With each stab of his cock, she cried out in ecstasy, her body humming with energy. Felicity could feel her impending orgasm reaching heights she'd only experienced a few times, but in Oliver's expert hands, he held her on that ledge for nearly half an hour, slowing his hips when he felt her walls quiver around him. She held on to the railings of her headboard until her knuckles turned white, feeling the ways in which he changed up his speed.

Every once in a while, Oliver would add his fingers to the mix, brushing his thumb against her throbbing clit or playing with the plug in her ass. Each sensation sent jolts through her body until she could barely take it anymore. "Please, Sir!" Felicity wailed. "Please let me come!"

She felt his hands on the back of her head, untying the blindfold until he slipped it off her so she could see. Above her, Oliver had discarded his clothes, his beautifully marred flesh on full display. Felicity wished she could reach out, let her fingers roam over his scars, try to ease the pain they represented with her touch. When she heard the click of the key opening her handcuffs, she thought for a moment he'd read her mind. They were slid off her wrists as his hands wrapped around angry red flesh beneath, massaging each one before letting her arms slip to her sides.

Oliver remained leaning above her, his weight resting on his elbows. They hadn't moved in well over a minute, his cock still buried deep within the warm confines of her pussy as he stared down at her, those sharp azure eyes captivating her and rendering her speechless. Felicity's hands reached up, cupping his face.

"Kiss me," she commanded in a breathy whisper.

And suddenly the dynamic changed. Oliver leaned into her completely, his lips pressing against hers for a chaste kiss before his body relaxed. Control was transferred to her and Felicity didn't know what to do next. So she kissed back, her tongue tracing the seam of his lips until they parted. He didn't fight her when it slipped into his mouth to explore, nor when her arms wrapped around his neck and held him close. And when she rolled her hips, intent on switching positions so she was on top, he simply rolled with her until she was the one in charge.

To test her limits, Felicity began rolling her hips. Oliver's eyes followed her every move, enraptured with her body as it tilted and swayed until she was the one riding him hard and fast. The room began to fill with the sounds of skin slapping skin, gasps and moans, stolen kisses. Her fingers traced over his scars, mapping each line, each mark until they were burned into her memory.

Oliver watched her through it all, his face stoic as ever. It wasn't until she reached the line high on his chest that he finally placed his hand over hers, trapping it where it lay over his rapidly beating heart. Their eyes locked and it was as if Felicity was seeing him for the first time. His defenses had crumbled, leaving his soul bared for her to see, and what she saw took her breath away.

Pain and regret weren't the only things in that endless sea of blue. There was also contentment and happiness, and maybe, if she looked hard enough, there was love, but that was most likely the love a Dom had for his sub, one born out of trust and commitment. Nonetheless, it still made her breath catch because no one had ever cared for her that much. No one had ever given up control halfway through a scene like he had, trusting her to keep him safe just as he'd kept her safe.

Tears touched the corners of Felicity's eyes and she quickly leaned in to press a kiss to his lips hoping he wouldn't see them. Distracting Oliver with passion seemed the easiest route at that moment, and when his eyes fluttered shut, she knew she was right. She moved from his lips down his his chin until she was at the hollow of his throat.

"Felicity!" he groaned when her tongue darted out, tasting him there. Oliver tangled one hand in her hair while the other cupped her face and brought her lips back to his. Their hips began to move at a more frenzied pace, and after over two hours of teasing and foreplay, neither one of them could hold out any longer.

"Oliver," she murmured against his lips. Felicity knew she wasn't supposed to call him by his name in private, especially while they were having sex, but she couldn't help herself. It slipped out unintentionally. But it was as if he hadn't even heard her. His eyes remained locked on hers as they climbed higher and higher until they were on the cusp of ecstasy. "Come with me, Oliver," she whispered, wondering if he'd correct her, but again, he ignored it. She really was in complete and total control over him at that moment, and nothing could have felt sexier. Their eyes locked and after one more deep thrust, he let go, triggering the orgasmic wave that washed over her body like a tsunami.

Felicity collapsed against his chest, lungs heaving for breath as the rush subsided. They laid there, in her bed, on the edge of consciousness for quite some time, but never quite falling under its spell. She nuzzled his neck, pressing soft kisses against the hot, corded muscles until they relaxed beneath her touch.

At one point, she tried to roll off him to slip beneath the covers, but Oliver's arms locked around her, holding her tight so together they ended up on their sides. "I'm cold," Felicity murmured, huddling as close to his warmth as she could.

Oliver reluctantly let her go, but once they were both covered by her duvet, his arms were around her waist, his chest pressed to her back, his nose buried in her hair. She immediately relaxed into him, her hands coming to rest against his forearms. "Sara doesn't let me do this," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

Felicity craned her neck to gaze back at him. "Really?" she asked. "Even after intense scenes?"

"After intense scenes, she prefers to do the holding. She doesn't like being held," Oliver replied.

Nodding, Felicity filed it away. She'd think about that interesting little tidbit of information later. Right now, she just wanted to snuggle into Oliver and let the world outside pass them by. She didn't want to admit it, but she really liked it when he held her like this, whether it be after a scene or at night as they fell asleep beside each other. His arms around her waist, holding her against his chest as his chin rested on her shoulder, that was her favorite position. It made her feel safe and warm and…  _wanted_.

But she couldn't think about that. It was too dangerous because then feelings became involved, and that never ended well, at least from her experience. "You never told me," Felicity said, "what exactly you wanted me to help you guys with. You only said you were having relationship troubles, but you never specified what kind."

Oliver sighed but didn't say anything. As the silence stretched on, Felicity thought for a moment he wouldn't tell her and that she would have to ask Sara, but then he pulled away and nudged her shoulder. She turned around to face him.

"Sara's been... distant for the last few months. She started complaining that our sex life was getting boring, so as a last ditch effort, I took her to the club hoping it would help spice things up. That night, it helped because, wow, we hadn't had sex in almost three months at that point. You seemed to bring out the girl I used to know, which was why I asked you to help us."

"Distant, huh?" Felicity replied. She knew what distant meant, but wasn't about to tell him the worst case scenario. Instead, she said, "Maybe what you guys need is a little time together."

"What do you mean?" Oliver asked.

"I mean, you both work demanding jobs. You're both CEOs of your own companies. What you need is some time away from all that, maybe a weekend getaway or something, so you can reconnect," Felicity suggested.

"Is that what you think we need?"

"Hey, I'm just a lowly prostitute, not a relationship counselor, even though I've had my fair share of mediating between partners. I could probably write a book on how many times I've had to dish out advice that I've never taken myself, but it's worked out somehow."

"I think I'll try that and see what happens," Oliver replied with a smile.

"You should," Felicity said. "And keep in mind, it needs to be just the two of you. I might be your sub, but when it comes to your relationship with your girlfriend, you two need to patch things up by yourselves. That's one thing I can't do for you."

Oliver studied her for a long time, his eyes narrowing before a smile spread out across his lips. "Is this your way of trying to wiggle out of sub duty?" he playfully accused, his hand running up and down her back and coming to rest on the slope of her ass.

"No," Felicity shot back, offering him a smile of her own. "This is my way of helping you try to repair whatever's broken in your relationship. Sometimes it's not just about sex. Sometimes it's about sharing a connection and maintaining that connection. You need to talk to Sara, not just fuck her."

Understanding suddenly dawned on him and it was like a light bulb had gone off in his head. "Oh, like you and I are talking right now?" Oliver replied.

Felicity laughed, "Yes, exactly! A little post-coital chit-chat goes a long way. Just don't fall asleep. I'm pretty sure Sara would strangle you if you did."

"Knowing Sara, she probably would," he chuckled.


	17. Chapter 17

"Felicity, Mr. Queen is requesting your presence in his office," Ed told her over the phone as she finished looking over the security tapes that Isabel had sent over to her that morning. Her urgent memo mentioned some highly frowned upon things happening in a supply closet on the Accounting floor, and that even though she knew Felicity wasn't connected to Security in any way, it was a request straight from Oliver. She had begun watching the tapes as soon as she'd received them, and her quiet Tuesday morning suddenly became rather interesting.

Three weeks had gone by since the romp with Oliver in the apartment. Life was slowly beginning to feel more normal living with him and Sara at the penthouse. So much so that Felicity was beginning to enjoy it, especially all the great sex they were having. Being a sub for them was probably the best job she could have asked for, aside from her promotion to the Director of Applied Sciences. But that was still a few months away.

Right now, her mind was preoccupied with the things she saw happening on her monitor. "Alright," Felicity absently replied, her eyes having gone wide with shock and surprise. This little favor for Oliver was turning into something rather useful. After hanging up with Ed, she took a couple of screenshots and saved them onto her private drive. It was intended for important office documents, and these would turn out to be invaluable in the future if needed.

Logging off the computer, she got up and walked out of her office, but not before scanning the floor for Carrie. She hoped not to run into the redhead that day, but lady luck was not on her side. The past three weeks had been full of overheard gossip and snide comments, but the woman hadn't stopped her assault. Even when Felicity scurried off to a floor that wasn't Oliver's, Carrie always had something to say.

"Where are you off to?" the sharp-tongued harpy said from behind her as Felicity walked past the break room.

All her muscles tensed as she stopped in her tracks. 'No,' Felicity told herself. 'Keep moving.' She wasn't about to get into a verbal fight with this woman over stupid little things if she could help it. Especially with what she just saw on the security tapes. No, she preferred to keep that a secret for now and only use it when absolutely necessary.

"Going to screw the boss?" Carrie practically sang. "Because, let's face it, you've been spending way too much time in his office these past few weeks."

That made Felicity turn sharply to face her accuser. It was the straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak, and she unleashed everything that had been simmering below the surface ever since she started working at Queen Consolidated. "Right, just like you've been screwing half the accounting department?" Felicity spat. Carrie tensed and stood up straighter in her five inch sparkly knock off high heels, her mouth hanging open. "Two can play this game, Cutter," Felicity whispered as she leaned in close so no one else could hear her. "And right now you're playing with fire because I know your little secret. I wonder how HR would feel if I sent them copies of the videos I found of you screwing nearly half the guys on that floor."

Carrie didn't move. She simply stood there staring at Felicity with saucer-wide green eyes, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. "You wouldn't dare!" Carrie hissed.

"Oh, I would, and I will if I ever hear you say one more thing about my relationship with Oliver Queen," Felicity warned before she turned on her heels and walked away. The fiendish smile that graced her lips as she turned to head upstairs set her heart thumping in her chest. She had never been this confrontational in her life, but after everything she'd been through, Felicity couldn't hold back anymore. That was the last time anyone would blatantly disrespect her in the office.

Practically humming with pride, Felicity hopped onto the elevator. Carrie's indiscretions had been caught on tape, the tape that Isabel had sent her that morning. She got the sinking feeling Carrie would be called into HR some time that week without Felicity having to say anything. Whether or not she'd get fired was yet to be seen, but combined with all the footage Felicity had been gathering of her harassment, all it would take was an email and Carrie would be on the curb that same day. Having sex on company property while on company time was an offense that carried a lot of weight. She'd get one warning before being fired.

Although it would have made Felicity's life easier to see her go, she knew Carrie had some deep seated issues that would possibly make her lash out if she was let go. Besides, Felicity wasn't a spiteful person. She'd hold Carrie's unintentional "sex tape" over her head for as long as it took the woman to understand her actions had consequences. Until then, she would wait it out and see what happened with HR.

Stepping off the elevator on the 39th floor, Felicity passed Isabel's desk to find it empty. She pushed through the glass doors and headed for Oliver's desk, where she could see him diligently working on something. His head was down, eyes focused on whatever it was he wrote. Upon hearing the click of her heels, it shot up and she was nearly stopped in her tracks once more, this time by his brilliant smile and shining azure eyes.

"Hey you," he said in that husky voice that nearly threw her off an edge she didn't even know she was standing on.

"Good morning, Sir," Felicity replied with a warm smile of her own as she took a seat across from him.

Oliver stood up and walked around his desk until he was sitting on the edge just inches from her. "I had Isabel run out to pick us up some lunch. In the meantime, I thought we could enjoy a little... alone time." His hand came to rest under her chin, tilting it up so that when he leaned down, their lips could easily brush against each other.

"Mmm," Felicity whimpered. "This is so not a good idea right now," she said when they parted.

"Why?" Oliver whispered as his thumb brushed along her lower lip. The light touch sent jolts of pleasure straight into her core, but her mind was already preoccupied by what had happened with Carrie just minutes earlier.

"Because I just yelled at someone for having sex on company time and it's hypocritical of me to do it myself, even if you are  _the_ boss," Felicity answered.

Grabbing her hands, Oliver pulled her off the chair and into his waiting arms. As he folded them around her, his lips brushed her ear and he murmured, "Then it's a good thing I have this." One of his hands moved from her waist to his keyboard and suddenly all the glass walls went from clear to frosted. "Privacy glass," he said after seeing the shock on her face.

"Did you just have this installed?" Felicity asked, looking skeptical.

"No, it came courtesy of my dad," Oliver answered. "And here I thought I'd never get to use it."

"I still don't think we should," she said, chewing on her lower lip. "I mean, it is in the contract."

His head came to rest against the crook of her neck. "Not even during the lunch hour?" he grumbled.

Felicity ruffled her fingers through his hair. "No," she sighed. "I'm sorry. I really am, but rules are rules."

"No, you're right," Oliver replied. "I wouldn't be a very good Dom if I broke the rules we specified in our contract." He pulled away from her and stood back, leaving some room between them. "I guess we won't need this, then," he added, turning off the privacy glass.

"So, why did you call me up here?" Felicity asked. "Aside from some noontime nookie."

Oliver's lips turned up into a smile. "I never pegged you for a Limp Bizkit fan," he said before going back to his seat behind the desk.

"I did the whole goth thing in college while I was dating Cooper. Never again," she replied. "But it sounds like you're avoiding my question."

"I swear I'm not."

"Well, then, why am I up here when I've got a load of things to do in my office?"

"Lunch?" Oliver replied.

Felicity couldn't help the smile that found its way to her lips. "You're running out of excuses, Mr. Queen," she pointed out.

"Fine, then, why don't you give me a topic?"

"Those security tapes Isabel sent me this morning," Felicity said as she took a seat in the chair facing his desk. "Why did you have her send them to me? I mean, I'm not exactly part of the security department. Internet security, yes, but not actual security."

Oliver smiled that warm, dimpled smile that always made her go weak in the knees, and suddenly she was glad she'd taken a seat. He was still perched on the edge of the desk, his knee brushing against hers as he gazed down at her and said, "I figured you'd enjoy that."

"But, how? Why?"

"Because contrary to popular belief, the CEO does listen to office gossip, especially if it concerns him and his favorite I.T. girl," Oliver explained. "Actually, Isabel monitors it for me, and lately that Cutter woman has been pretty vocal about her dislike of you. I asked Security to keep an eye on her, and over the past week, she's been a very naughty girl."

Felicity smiled and shook her head. "As annoying as Carrie can be, she's practically harmless, no matter how true the rumors actually are. Speaking of which, you really need to stop hitting on me in your office because I don't want anyone getting wind of it. I know you can be a horny little bastard sometimes, but you need to keep it in your pants during working hours. Not only is it part of our contract, but it's also company policy. Now, anytime before or after, that's a whole other story, because then I am all yours for as long as you want me."

Leaning in close, she could feel Oliver's hand skim along the column of her throat where it was exposed before whispering, "I want you very much." To emphasize his point, he pressed a soft kiss to her cheek before pulling away.

It set Felicity's skin on fire, having him touch her like that when she knew there were still several hours of the workday left. All she wanted to do was strip off her clothes and let him take her right there as he had so many weeks earlier. She still fantasized about that encounter whenever she had sex with Oliver.

"I know what you're thinking," he said, his smile widening into a predatory grin. "And trust me, I'd like nothing more than to bend you over my desk right now and have my way with you, but you're right about keeping a low profile. Maybe one of these nights we can indulge that little fantasy without the threat of getting caught."

"That would make me very happy," Felicity replied as she squeezed her thighs together. "God, I should not be this turned on right now," she added, fanning her face with her hand.

"Then why don't we talk about something else?" Oliver suggested, pulling away from her and taking a seat behind his desk. "Is there anything you'd like to discuss while you're up here?"

With her forefinger pressed to her lips, Felicity paused for a moment to think. She had plenty of things she wanted to talk to Oliver about, but the most pressing one was, "So, the Applied Sciences position... What exactly will I be doing?" They'd spoken about it a few times in the last few weeks, but nothing too in depth. The building was in the last stages of completion, meaning in a few more months, her office would be moved to the upper floors while someone else took her position in I.T.

"That is actually a great topic to bring up because I've been working on these proposals since yesterday and would love your input," he excitedly replied, all thoughts of sex immediately pushed to the sidelines. The document Oliver had been writing was turned in her direction so she could see it. "My father was working on these before he decided to retire. He asked me to finish them for him."

Felicity stared down at the notes and sketches in front of her, recognizing them almost instantly. "Are these the specs for the O.M.A.C. project?"

His eyes shot up to meet hers. "You know about this?" Oliver asked.

"Your father mentioned it when he recruited me, but they were just ideas and really rough sketches. I gave him some suggestions on how to improve the designs, but I never thought I'd see them again," Felicity breathed, suddenly feeling a flutter in her chest. "I can't believe he actually took my advice."

"I thought the reason my father told me you were brilliant was because of your ability to get things done so fast with computers. I had no idea he actually meant this," Oliver replied. "You, Felicity Smoak, are truly remarkable."

A blush blossomed on her cheeks and crept all the way up to her ears as a smile crawled onto her bright pink lips. "Thank you for remarking on it," Felicity softly said.

They stared at each other for several long moments before the door to the office swung open and Isabel came in carrying a large bag of food. They thanked her and spent the rest of the lunch hour going over more of Robert's documents, discussing how feasible they would be as projects and setting aside the most promising ones.

"I have an interview this afternoon with someone I think you should stick around and meet," Oliver said as he pushed his empty take out box into the trash can under his desk. "I'm thinking about hiring him as the general manager for Applied Sciences, but I'd like you to vet him first before I make that decision."

"Really?" Felicity asked, putting down her fork and wiping her hands with her napkin. "Can I see his resume?"

It took Oliver a moment find and locate the three page document under a stack of other candidates he was considering for various jobs, but when he did, it was quickly handed to her.

"Raymond Palmer…" she read aloud. "Why does that name sound familiar?" As Felicity scanned through the rest of the man's resume, she answered her own question. "The guy making huge strides in nanotechnology!  _Wired_ just did an interview with him about some of the work he's doing at Stanford. He's light years ahead of everyone in the field. This is so exciting! I'd love to stay and meet him!"

"Well, you're in luck because I believe he just arrived." Oliver nodded his head toward the door as his assistant held it open for the man stepping into the office. He was tall, about as tall as Oliver, with a head of thick dark hair and piercing blue eyes, eyes Felicity felt she had stared into before. They settled on her instead of her boss and lingered even as Oliver stood up to greet him.

"And this is Felicity Smoak," he said, knocking her out of her thoughts. "You'll be working with her once the official announcement is made about the opening of the Applied Sciences building In a few weeks."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Palmer," she politely replied, holding out her hand so they could shake.

"Believe me, the pleasure is all mine," Palmer smoothly replied. "And please, do call me Ray."

"Well, Ray, Felicity was just telling me about your accomplishments at Stanford. Could you give us a rundown of exactly what you're doing?" Oliver asked once they were all seated, him behind his desk while Felicity sat beside Palmer, her eyes wandering towards him every so often. There was just something about him, something familiar, as if they'd met before somewhere even though she knew it was virtually impossible. She had only seen Palmer in magazines and online tech articles she liked to read in her off time. Besides, he lived in San Francisco while she resided in Starling.

"Right now, I'm in the process of creating nanoscale transistors that are faster, more powerful, and increasingly energy-efficient that will soon store an entire computer's worth of memory on a single, tiny chip. And I know that kinda sounds a little too much like an infomercial, but this technology, coupled with what you do here at Queen Consolidated, will revolutionize the world. Applications for nanotechnology extend well beyond computers. Nanites can be used for sustainable energy or the treatment of disease or even as tracking devices if created and marketed properly," Palmer said.

He was definitely enthusiastic about his work, Felicity gave him that much. The way he talked about it in excited tones and waving hand gestures, she could see a little bit of herself in him. At one point, they got a little too wild and nearly knocked over her glass of water, but Palmer was quick to grab it just before it spilled over, handing it back to her. She took a steady sip before putting it back down on Oliver's desk and continued to listen to all the ways he thought nanotechnology would improve their company.

Try as she might, Felicity still couldn't figure out where that strange feeling of deja vu came from. As the meeting progressed and they began to talk about his research and development strategies at Stanford, Felicity found herself being sucked into tech talk as Oliver sat back, allowing her to steer the direction of this part of the interview. She and Palmer quickly established an easy back-and-forth repertoire, bouncing ideas off each other at lightning speed.

They discussed everything from the technology needed to develop such small supercomputers to how it could work in the real world. Palmer went into detail about his thoughts on using the nanites to track terrorist organizations, going so far as to say he'd created some that were about the size of a grain of sand and could still easily be picked up by tracking devices hundreds of miles away. Although the thought made Felicity's skin crawl slightly, she had to admit, his ideas had merit and would go a long way to stopping some of the terrible things happening in the world today. It brought up issues with privacy and security, but Felicity decided not to get into a political debate just yet. That could come later, once the tech was actually in her hands.

At that point, Oliver jumped back in, steering the conversation into more familiar territory, for him at least. It seemed as if the social intricacies of this new technology had him on edge, something she could completely understand considering her own issues with it. Felicity checked out when talk of salaries and vacation days came up. Instead, her mind chose to focus on Palmer once more, surveying him covertly as he and Oliver spoke, her fingers absently reaching up to her neck and playing with the heart charm that hung from her necklace.

Although they had shared a pleasant conversation about technology, something still didn't sit well with her. Ray Palmer seemed charming and witty and maybe even a little bashful on the outside, but there was something in those sharp blue eyes that left an unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach. Her mother had always told Felicity that the eyes were the windows to the soul, and looking into his eyes, she could see far more danger than she expected.

She wasn't about to tell Oliver though; not when the man had impressed them both with his knowledge and technical expertise. Maybe she was projecting her feelings, Felicity thought. Maybe she was seeing someone else in his eyes. The man that had assaulted her in the club came to mind and Felicity had to suppress the urge to shiver. Although the two looked similar, the style and color of Palmer's hair didn't match. He also filled out his suit a little more. But his presence, the way he held himself, that did conjure up images of that night no matter how hard Felicity tried to ignore them.

Or maybe she was just trying to keep her guard up. After all, she technically belonged to Oliver and Sara for the next five months. There was no way she wanted to open herself up to a relationship she wouldn't be able to commit to. Palmer was very nice, and the fact that he understood everything Felicity talked about appealed to her greatly. But it just wasn't in the cards. She had really begun to enjoy her time with Oliver and Sara, and if things went well, Felicity would consider adding a few more months to their contract.

She chose to focus on that angle instead of the others, that Palmer was a good guy and her defense mechanisms were taking over, not the idea that maybe he was dangerous underneath all that charm. Hell, Felicity could make the same argument for Oliver and Sara, but she chose not to. Instead, she pushed the negative thoughts out of her mind and focused on what was happening in front of her. The meeting was coming to a close, everything that needed to be discussed having already been touched upon.

"Do you have any questions, Mr. Palmer?" Oliver asked, winding down the interview.

"I do have one," Palmer replied. "What's the tentative starting date for the position?"

"Construction of the Applied Sciences building should be complete in three weeks. Announcement of staff and projects will take place around that time. I believe the official start date won't be until mid March, which is about four months away."

"Great, that gives me time to wrap up a few important projects in San Francisco, turn in my final thesis, and find myself a nice apartment in the city. You wouldn't happen to know a good real estate agent, would you?" Palmer asked, his face splitting into an overly charming smile.

Felicity had to give it to him, he was a looker, but something still didn't settle right with her. Both she and Oliver shook their heads at his question, and the interview ended.

Goodbyes said, Palmer left the office and the pair was alone once more.

"So, what did you think?" Oliver eagerly asked, glancing down at her from where they stood side by side staring out the glass walls as Palmer disappeared behind the elevator doors.

"I think he's… not bad," she hesitantly replied. When she saw the questioning look in Oliver's eyes, she gave him a soft smile and added, "Actually, I think he's perfect for the job. You should hire him."

"Good," Oliver said. "I'll have the lawyers draw up his contract."

"Just out of curiosity, what would you have done if I said no?" Felicity asked.

With a chuckle, he replied, "I have no idea. He was the only one on the list that was even remotely qualified from what H.R. told me."

"Good thing I approve," she said with a smirk, but inside, Felicity couldn't help the feeling of trepidation that slowly crept into her stomach.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **This chapter has some pretty graphic BDSM sex toward the end, so this is your warning. If it's something you're uncomfortable with, feel free to skip to the cut once you reach that scene.**

Returning to her office that afternoon and seeing all the parts that Ed had dropped off for her to fix was overwhelming. Felicity tried to focus on the task at hand, but the fact that Ray Palmer had reminded her of the man that assaulted her in the club kept her mind occupied long after the meeting ended. She hadn't thought about him in quite some time, especially since things with her stalker had been quiet for so long, but the curiosity never faded. Fighting the urge to continue her search proved futile.

Felicity picked up where she'd left off those many weeks ago, deciding to pull up all the data she'd scavenged and hack back into the Verdant servers to see if there was anything new she could dig up. This afternoon, she made sure to set an alarm on her phone to remind her of the time. The last thing she wanted was for Oliver to come looking for her and find her snooping around in places she shouldn't.

With her projects pushed off to the side of her desk, Felicity began her task, breaking through the security she had so diligently set up at the club. Going through her usual channels, she found something new that afternoon, something she hadn't seen before. A thumb drive was plugged into Helena's computer, an encrypted one at that. She began her hack using all the tricks she knew and was surprised to find how easy the thing was to crack.

"Someone needs to upgrade their security," Felicity muttered aloud as she continued typing in commands and searching through the directories to see what she could find on the drive. A folder marked "Clientele" caught her attention and she immediately opened it. After a moment of reading, her fingers stopped moving across the keyboard as she stared at the documents inside, eyes wide as saucers.

The name of every single person who had ever visited the club was in that folder, each dated to the time of their arrival. Felicity searched through the records until she found those from the night of her assault. There were several names, but only one was highlighted in red and marked with a big "X" at the beginning.

"Adam Cray," Felicity whispered before double clicking on the document to read up a little more on him. According to the background check Helena had done, Adam Cray was a well respected investor from the East Coast with lots of money and connections. From banking and investment firms to web based corporations and tech start ups, he had his fingers in a lot of pies. Pretty impressive for a man barely thirty years old.

"Now, what do you look like?" Felicity asked as she scrolled through the rest of the data looking for a photo. When she found the link to it and clicked, nothing came up. She tried again, with the same result. Upon checking the image data, she found the file stored in another folder on the drive and tried that.

"Cannot open. File may be corrupt?" She let out an exasperated sigh. But Felicity now had the information she needed in order to make this dirtbag pay for what he'd done to her. His photo would have just been icing on the cake and something she could look into later with a simple internet search on her laptop back at the penthouse. Hurriedly backing out of all the channels she'd used to gain access to the Verdant system, she logged out of her computer just as her phone began to ring, alerting her that the clock had struck five.

With a satisfied smile, Felicity backed up a copy of the document onto one of her spare thumb drives and slipped it into the zippered pocket of her purse. A few moments later, she was headed downstairs to the garage where Oliver was already waiting for her, his back pressed against the door of a black sedan. He was all lean lines and devilishly handsome looks the way his arms crossed over his broad chest while his feet crossed at the ankles.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Felicity said as she stepped up to him.

He smiled at her before pushing off the door and opening it for her. Once they both settled inside, Oliver pulled her to him and pressed a kiss to her lips. "I talked to Sara just before I came down and finally took your advice about spending some time alone with her. We're having date night tonight so you've got the penthouse all to yourself."

"Good for you!" she exclaimed. Felicity had seen the rift in their relationship from the odd hours Sara was called to work. Her schedule never seemed to match Oliver's, but somehow he'd found a time that worked for them and had gone for it. She was proud of him for taking the initiative. "So, what do you have planned for tonight?"

"Dinner. Maybe a little dancing afterwards. I feel like being spontaneous," Oliver replied.

"Spontaneous is good," Felicity agreed with a nod and a smile.

"Should I buy her flowers?" he suddenly asked, looking unsure of himself. "I haven't gone out on a real date in a long time."

"Go for it! Go all out! Make Sara feel special tonight. Let her see a side of you she hasn't seen in a while," she advised. "If she gets uncomfortable, ask her what she wants to do and do it. It's all about getting to know each other again."

"Felicity, you are a genius," Oliver said as he leaned in and kissed her again. "Thank you for the advice. It's nice having someone to talk to who doesn't have an agenda."

"Hey, you sought me out, remember? I'm the last person with an agenda," she replied.

"So, what are your plans for tonight?" he asked.

"I think I might head back to my apartment and grab a few more things that I didn't realize I forgot. You'd think by now I'd have that place cleared out already, but there are a few things that I've come to miss," Felicity answered. "Just some little things like jewelry that I really love and maybe a couple pairs of shoes that I want to wear again."

"So the laptop, tablet, and desktop weren't enough?" Oliver joked.

"A girl can never have too many pairs of shoes."

"Looking at Sara's collection, I'm inclined to agree."

They both laughed as the car pulled to a stop inside the parking garage. Oliver got out first and Felicity followed. He was already at the door, throwing it open for her, but she'd gone in the other direction. When he called her name, she turned to find him looking at her, an adorably confused expression on his face.

"I'm not going to come up," Felicity said. "No need to. I'm just gonna grab my car and head straight to my apartment."

"Alright," Oliver called out. "Be careful and if you need anything, call me."

"Will do."

And with that, they parted ways, Oliver heading up to the penthouse while Felicity took the service entrance to the garage in the other building where her car was parked. She made it to her apartment half an hour later, pulling out her keys as she grabbed the mail out of her overstuffed box.

"Bill. Bill. Junk mail. Bill…" she grumbled aloud before punching in her security code and sliding the key into the lock. "Ooh, what's this?" Felicity asked as she got to the bottom of the pile and found a small yellow jiffy pack envelope with her name on it.

It looked to have been simply dropped into her mailbox judging from the lack of postage. While the other letters were set on her kitchen table, her focus remained on the little yellow envelope. Shaking it, she heard something rattle around inside and was even more excited to see what the package could be. But then Felicity took a closer look at the handwriting.

"Oh, no," she whispered, dropping it onto the table and backing away. It was the same handwriting she'd seen on the card when the flowers arrived. Felicity's heart began to race as she dashed into her bathroom and grabbed a pair of latex gloves from beneath her sink. Having watched enough crime dramas, she knew it would be better to preserve the evidence in case there was something left of the sender on it. A plastic bag was pulled out of her cupboard before she returned to the table to gently place the package inside.

Grabbing her phone, Felicity thumbed through her contacts until she found the name she was looking for. "Hey, Barry," she said once he answered.

"Felicity, hey!" he excitedly replied. "What's up?"

"I was wondering, do you have a minute?" she asked. "I need you to take a look at something for me."

"You're lucky. You caught me on my night off from the club. Do you want me to stop by the office if you're still there or…?"

"I'll meet you somewhere. Um… The Starbucks two blocks from the Queen Consolidated building?"

"Sure, I'll be there in half an hour."

* * *

Felicity waited inside the coffee shop, steaming cup of tea nursed between her hands as she stared at the door waiting for her friend to arrive. Forty minutes had passed since she'd called him, and she was getting antsy.

Whoever this "secret admirer" was, he had really gotten under her skin with the photos. And now the package tucked away in her purse screamed "stalker" in big, bold letters. It terrified her to think that someone was watching her every move, but after what had happened with the paparazzi, Felicity was pretty sure she'd been covering her tracks the best she could. At least nothing had shown up at Queen Consolidated or Oliver's penthouse. She didn't even know what she'd do if that happened.

"Hey, sorry I'm late. I got stuck in traffic," Barry's voice carried in the quiet little coffee shop and her head shot up immediately.

"I'm just glad you're here," Felicity replied with a smile as she stood up and gave him a hug.

"So, what's up? You sounded a little rushed on the phone."

Biting her lip, she grabbed her purse and pulled out the plastic bag with the envelope inside. "It happened again," Felicity said, passing it to him so he could take a look.

Barry turned the small packaged over in his hands, staring at it from different angles. "It's escalating," he replied. "I hope you've considered telling  _someone_ what's going on. I mean, you've got a stalker, Felicity. Who's to say this guy won't go after you next?"

"I know, Barry. Believe me, I do," she answered. "But I've been sitting here for the last half hour Googling stalker behavior and right now, it's harmless. I know that it's probably going to get worse, but the problem with this guy is that I don't even know who he is!"

Barry sighed, "Well, then, I don't think you'll be happy to hear what I've discovered about those samples from the photo box." Felicity tensed, steeling herself for the bad news. She'd been calling Barry every week to see if they'd been analyzed, but since the lab was backed up with police related inquiries, he hadn't gotten a chance to test them. "Most of the DNA is degraded or belongs to you. I tried every technique I could think of to salvage it, but nothing worked. Whoever left that box for you probably wiped it down with bleach."

Her head fell into her hands as she tried to keep the fear that suddenly crept into her mind from overwhelming her. This was the most frightened Felicity had ever been in her life, and that was saying something, especially after Cooper nearly beat her to death. She wanted to scream, to cry, to beat on something with her fists, but she couldn't do any of that. Instead, Felicity reached over the table and grabbed Barry's hands.

"What can you do with that envelope?" she asked, staring up into his gentle blue eyes and wordlessly begging him to help her find the person stalking her someway, somehow.

Barry looked at it again, examining it closely before he said, "There really isn't much to go on. These envelopes have peel and stick lips that are made to be secure and tamper proof, so no DNA. Do you know what's inside?"

"I have no idea, but it sounds like something small, a necklace or a bracelet maybe?"

"Why don't you just open it? We're not getting anything off the envelope. Maybe we can get something off what's inside?" He handed the plastic bag back to her.

"Okay," Felicity said, taking a shaky breath as she opened the top and pulled it out. "How should I do this?" Her hands trembled as she held it between them.

"You want me to do it instead?" Barry gently asked.

"Yeah, I think that would be best. You know how to handle evidence better than I do." She passed it back to him, plastic bag and all, then watched as he grabbed the edges of the plastic and pulled them open to create a little bowl for the object to fall into. He then grabbed a small utility knife out of his pocket and broke the seal of the envelope.

What fell into the plastic bag beneath was a small silver chain necklace with a little silver heart pendant dangling from it. "Oh, my god," Felicity breathed as she reached out to pick it up, but was quickly stopped when Barry's hand wrapped around her wrist. She stared at him for a moment before he let go to seal the bag. After he'd secured it, he handed it to her.

"Have you seen this before?" he asked.

"Y-yeah," Felicity stuttered, looking at the necklace through the bag. "I… I haven't worn it since college. It's been sitting in my jewelry box..." Her breath caught in her throat when she realized the implications of what was going on. "Oh, my god… He's… He's been in my apartment!"

Tears sprang from Felicity's eyes as her breaths came out as shallow pants. Her heart raced in her chest, beating out a wild rhythm that made her eyes go blurry and her head swim. Barry was out of his chair a second later, arms wrapping around her shoulders as he tried his best to comfort her. "Hey, hey, it's okay. I'll talk to my professor and he'll have someone from the SCPD contact you about what's going on," he whispered in her ear as his hand rubbed up and down her back.

"But you don't understand," Felicity sobbed. "I have a security system that's supposed to alert me if anyone breaks in, or tries to break in. I built it myself! How could this guy have gotten past my encryption?"

Barry sighed, "I don't know, but we'll figure it out."

They stayed like that for quite some time, holding onto each other until Felicity's sobs turned into sniffles. Barry let her go and she sagged into her seat, but he stayed within reach just in case she needed him. "Do you need somewhere to stay tonight?" he asked.

"No, I've got that covered," Felicity said. "I just… I need to make a phone call. Could you give me a minute?"

"Yeah, sure."

She stood up and walked outside, immediately pulling up Oliver's number in hopes of reaching him, but then she remembered tonight was date night between him and Sara. The last thing she wanted was to ruin their big chance at reconnecting, so she let the phone drop back into her pocket and just stood there, the crisp autumn air stinging her cheeks.

What was she going to do? She had to tell them, had to let them know someone was stalking her, but how? The absurdity of the situation blew Felicity away. First it was the assault, then the feelings of being followed, then Oliver and Sara, and now the stalker. It felt as if in a few short weeks, her entire life had been turned upside down and inside out.

Felicity let out an exasperated sigh. When had her life become so complicated? She turned around and headed back into the cafe to grab her things before heading back to her car. Barry walked with her and promised to get back to her if he found anything on the necklace then headed the opposite direction, disappearing into the darkness.

The drive back to the penthouse was quiet, giving Felicity time to think about what was going on. Her mind continued to try and piece everything together, but the overwhelming swell of emotions that hit her every time she thought about someone breaking into her apartment nearly sent her skidding off the road. But what she lacked in concentration at that moment, she made up for by stopping a block away from Oliver's building and circling around to see if anyone was following her. Satisfied that she was alone, Felicity parked in the garage and headed straight for the service entrance, keys between her fingers until she was safely inside the lobby.

Upon entering the private elevator, she sagged against the cool glass and slid down until she was sitting on the carpeted floor. Tears began sliding down her cheeks once more, and this time she had no one to comfort her. The doors slid open and on autopilot, Felicity stood up and made her way inside.

Clothes were scattered across the living room floor and she instantly knew Oliver and Sara had returned and were probably enjoying some alone time in the bedroom. As Felicity walked past the door, she noticed it was open a crack and that she had the perfect view of what was going on inside. The deep, rumbling moan she knew to be Oliver's mingled with Sara's soft laugh, and instantly her curiosity was piqued.

Felicity paused at the door for a moment, peeking through the crack to find a scene she was not expecting. On the bed lay Oliver, spread eagle, his wrists tied to either side of the headboard with thick black leather cuffs and his legs chained to the feet of the bed at his ankles in a similar fashion. A black silk blindfold covered his eyes while a ball gag kept him silent as Sara stood before him in her black leather teddy and knee high boots.

A black leather harness was strapped to her hips, replete with the largest bright yellow silicone dildo Felicity had ever seen in her life (and that was saying something considering the industry she'd worked in). It was a good nine inches in length and looked to be at least three inches thick. Sara stroked one hand over it as the other poured generous amounts of lube along it's slick surface.

But what caught Felicity's attention was the fact that Oliver hadn't moved a muscle. His entire body seemed to be relaxed as he waited for Sara to make her move. This was a side of him Felicity had only gotten a glimpse of that day in her apartment. Submissive Oliver was a strange sight, making her all the more curious about the dynamic between him and Sara. So she continued to watch, eyes glued to the scene in front of her waiting with bated breath to see what her partners would do next.

Once the dildo was coated in the slick gel, Sara wiped her hands on Oliver's thighs before raking her nails along his skin. That was the first thing Felicity saw get a rise out of him. His breath hitched as his muscles tensed beneath her calculated touches. And when Sara got to the junction of his thighs, she stopped, a smile creeping onto her lips.

"You're such a good boy," she cooed. "You've been a good boy all night. I think it's time you got your reward."

Felicity instantly knew she'd missed out on most of their fun, but this last part, that's what fascinated her. She wondered how they had gotten to this point, but quickly remembered what Oliver had told her all those weeks ago. His first submissive experience had been with Helena, so it shouldn't have surprised her that much. But watching him with Sara, Felicity wondered exactly how far he'd been taken in the past.

Oliver looked almost docile at that moment, taking everything his Mistress gave him without so much as a whimper. And when Sara reached over to undo the leather cuffs around his ankles, he remained still until she nudged his calves and said, "Up." His legs rose, and she slid her arms beneath them, guiding them to her shoulders. "Good boy," Sara murmured. "Now relax and take it like the good boy your are."

She stepped forward and the thick yellow head of the dildo pressed against Oliver's ass. He took a deep, steadying breath, his chest rising and falling slowly, and relaxed completely. "That's it," Sara said as her hips moved forward. "Take that thick cock into your ass, my sweet baby boy. Mama loves seeing you full to the brim."

Inch by inch, the yellow silicone slowly disappeared into his rectum until her hips were pressed up against his. "That's my good boy," Sara said as she patted his thighs. She paused for a few moments, allowing him to adjust to the toy in his ass before slowly beginning to pull back out until just the head remained inside.

Wrapping her hand around his straining cock, she pumped it gently while thrusting back in, eliciting a deep, guttural groan from the back of Oliver's throat. "I love that sound," Sara murmured. "Let me hear it again," she added, circling the precum-soaked tip of his dick before stroking back down.

Oliver groaned again, his hands balling into fists with each stroke of her hand along his shaft and with every thrust of her hips. Soon her rhythm began to increase, quickly building up to a fast, almost punishing pace as she pounded into his ass while her hand aggressively jerked his cock. His moans and groans filled the room, echoing off the walls as Sara praised, "You're such a good boy! Mama loves when you take her big, fake cock in your ass like this. Keep going, baby boy, and don't come until I tell you."

Felicity watched in rapt fascination as Sara continued pounding into her lover fast and hard without so much as a break. Her hips rocked back and forth, skin slapping skin, as her fingers worked over his pulsing cock and massaged his balls. Felicity couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy from not being involved in this late night tryst, but she understood Oliver and Sara needed some time together. She'd been doing her best to try and help them both, and from the looks of things, it seemed to be working.

"Are you almost there, baby boy?" Sara asked as she squeezed his cock, her hips completing two more thrusts before she let go. Oliver nodded. Reaching over, she unstrapped the ball gag, pulling it away from his mouth. "Beg me," she ordered. "Tell me how bad you want to come."

"Please, Mistress," Oliver desperately panted. "I need to come! Please let me come!"

A smile crawled onto Sara's lips as her hips thrust even faster. "Then you may come," she replied, slamming her thighs into his one last time until the yellow dildo was buried to the hilt while her hand pumped his cock wildly. Thick ropes of semen erupted from the tip, spilling across his stomach and chest as Oliver cried out in pure ecstasy. His back arched off the mattress as Sara continued to stroke him until he was completely spent, then he dropped back down, breathing hard as his body went limp.

Sara gently pulled the dildo out of his ass, being very careful not to touch his now flaccid cock as she climbed on top of him, her lips blazing a trail up his abdomen, licking away the remnants of his orgasm before she kissed him. "You're such a good boy," she whispered into his ear, and a smile spread across his lips as he tilted his head and kissed her once more.

"Are we even now?" Oliver panted as Sara reached up to undo the cuffs around his wrists.

With a smile, she said, "Yes, we're even, but the next time you try forcing me to submit like you have these past few weeks, especially around Felicity, I will punish you far worse than I did tonight, and you won't get a happy ending."

"I won't do it again, Mistress, I promise," Oliver swore. She continued removing the cuffs from his wrists until his hands were free, and not a moment later, he brought them up to her cheeks. "I love you," he whispered.

Sara merely smiled, then leaned forward to press a kiss to his lips.

Felicity had been right all along; Sara was the dominant partner in the relationship and although Oliver portrayed his role as co-dominant around her, he did bow down to his Mistress when she called. Had she known this from the beginning, Felicity would have played things differently. But she understood what Oliver was going through. He seemed to be in the midst of an identity crisis. Was he the confident, commanding CEO of a multi-billion dollar corporation with everyone at his beck and call, or was he the submissive, eager-to-please little boy that still needed guidance from his mistress?

Pondering those questions, Felicity turned away from the door. She didn't dare push it open and step inside, not after what she'd just seen. Oliver and Sara needed time to come down from their high, so she backed away, heading straight for the guest bedroom instead. Felicity knew she would only ruin their night with her personal drama, so she chose to slip under the covers fully clothed and fell into a restless sleep.

* * *

"Good morning, Sir. Mistress," Felicity rasped as she slinked into the bedroom the next day. Her clothes were rumpled from being slept in and there were bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep. Nightmares plagued her throughout the night, waking her up at odd hours. Most focused on her current stalker problems while some harkened back to darker days she'd been trying to forget for a long time.

"Good morning," they chimed in together from behind their respective tablets, neither of them really paying attention to her until she plopped down on the bed at their feet.

Oliver was the first to lift his head, his expression changing from thoughtful to concerned when he saw the state she was in. "Felicity?" he asked, setting his tablet on the nightstand beside him and getting up to go sit next to her. "Is everything alright?"

She sat up, rubbing her eyes with the backs of her hands before letting them drop into her lap. His arm wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her against his side. "Yeah," Felicity muttered, but the stern look Oliver shot her quickly made her change her statement. "No. I had a really rough night."

"What happened?" he replied.

When the bed dipped on her other side and Sara's arm snaked around her waist, Felicity knew it was time to tell them. She took a deep, steadying breath, letting it out slowly, but just as she was about to begin her story, something caught her eye. The TV was on, a fact that she'd ignored since Oliver would always turn it on in the morning to watch the news, but today, she recognized someone she knew and her heart nearly stopped in her chest.

"Oh, my god," Felicity whispered as she stood up and stared at the TV in front of her.

Oliver immediately turned up the volume and the whole room was filled with the reporter's voice. "Mr. Allen was found a block from his apartment, severely beaten and unresponsive. He was taken to Starling General where he remains in critical condition. Police believe it was an attempted robbery gone wrong and are urging the public to aid in their investigation with any information…"

"Oh, god! Barry!" Felicity cried as her knees gave out and she slumped to the floor. A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist, keeping her from falling over. She was tucked into Oliver's chest where she remained for quite some time, sobbing to the point of exhaustion.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some graphic BDSM punishment and sex toward the middle, so this is your warning. If it's something you're uncomfortable with, feel free to skip the scene once you reach it.

She hadn't eaten, hadn't slept, and the hard plastic chair she sat on was unforgiving, but Felicity refused to move away from the hospital bed, her hand tightly wrapped around Barry's as she waited and prayed for him to wake up. He was in a coma from severe head trauma and several broken bones, including a shattered eye socket and fractured ribs. His attacker had done a number on him, making the doctors cautious about his odds for survival.

A hand on her shoulder barely registered, but Felicity turned and looked up to find Oliver beside her holding a cup of coffee. She wordlessly accepted it before returning her gaze to her friend. "Why do bad things happen to good people?" she asked, her voice coming out soft and watery, still filled with too many emotions to sort through. "Barry… He's suffered so much through his life. His mom was murdered and his dad was accused of it even though he didn't do it. He's been in jail for the last fourteen years. The whole reason why Barry is studying to be a CSI is so he can help his dad."

Oliver squeezed her shoulder and her eyes drifted up to meet his. "I can't help but think if I hadn't asked him to meet me last night, he wouldn't be here right now. This is all my fault because I was too scared and stubborn to tell anyone what was going on." Felicity was in tears again. They slid down her face and dripped into her lap forming little wet spots on her jeans.

Sinking down so they were eye level, Oliver replied, "You know, you're going to have to tell me what you're talking about."

"I know," she said, her voice trembling. "I just… I don't even know how. I'm so scared, Oliver."

His arms wrapped around her, tucking her head beneath his chin as he pressed a kiss into her hair. "Shh, it's okay. Whatever it is, I can help you. I can protect you. You just need to tell me so we can figure it out." Oliver held onto her, stroking her back with his hands until she calmed down enough to pull away. "Why are you so scared, baby?" he asked, cupping her face in his hands.

"Because I have a stalker," Felicity mumbled, her eyes dropping away from his as more tears slid down her cheeks.

"Since when?" His voice was gentler than she expected, as if he was trying not to judge the situation before he got all the facts, and Felicity appreciated him all the more for it.

"Last month," she admitted, breaking down in another fit of sobbing. Oliver continued to stroke her face with his thumbs, patiently waiting her out until she was finished. But then the nurse arrived to check on Barry, and an audience was the last thing Felicity wanted.

"Come on," Oliver said, taking her hand and gently pulling her out of the chair. "Let's go somewhere private and talk, maybe call Sara and have her hear this, too. She is the security expert, after all."

Felicity nodded and together they stepped out of Barry's room, heading down the hall towards the private waiting area. Oliver pulled out his phone and dialed Sara's number. When she answered, he simply told her to get to the hospital because it was important and hung up. It wasn't even ten minutes before she stepped into the small room, clad in black and looking solemn.

"How are you doing, baby girl?" Sara asked as she wrapped her arms around Felicity and gave her a tight squeeze.

"I have to tell you something," she answered, looking between both her partners. "I promised Barry I would tell someone what was going on before all this happened, and I swear, I was going to tell you this morning, but then I saw him on the news and everything just went straight to hell." Felicity was on the verge of a breakdown. Her heart began to race in her chest as her breathing turned into shallow gasps.

Oliver's hand on her face and his whispered, "Breathe, Felicity. Just breathe," helped put her at ease, but the tension in the air didn't lessen.

She took one last deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to say, then dove right into her story. "Last month, well, more specifically, the night Oliver and I went over the contract before revising it, I was at home watching TV when someone slipped a letter under my door. It had my name on it and everything, and when I opened it there was a note inside. It said something about loving me like Peruvian lilies, so I opened the door to see if anyone was there. What I found was a vase full of those same flowers."

"Wait," Oliver interrupted. "I remember seeing those the night we came to pick you up. Those were from this… stalker?"

"Yeah," Felicity answered, nodding her head as she wiped an errant tear from her eye.

"Why didn't you tell me then?" His voice had risen an octave, and she knew instantly he was on high alert. The situation was quickly going from bad to worse, and there was no doubt in her mind that once she told him everything, the fallout would be catastrophic.

"Because I wasn't even thinking about it! I thought they were from you, as if you were trying to butter me up or something. I didn't think they were from some random crazy person I don't even know! At the time, there was no reason for me to freak out. They were just flowers, so I pushed it out of my mind. It wasn't until the next morning when I came back to my apartment to grab my stuff for work that I found something else on my doorstep," she said.

"What did you find?" Sara asked this time, her voice surprisingly calm.

"This ornately carved box full of photos," Felicity explained. "A bunch of them were recent shots of me, all candids taken from a telephoto lens, but there were a few that I hadn't seen since college. That's what really freaked me out because I had deleted those from social media as soon as Cooper and I broke up. I didn't want my career to be affected by them because, seriously, the goth look… it's kinda creepy and doesn't bode well with potential employers."

"And you still didn't say anything?" Oliver seemed rather irate then, his gaze harsh as he stared at her with piercing azure eyes.

"I didn't want you to freak out! We had just signed the contract. The ink had barely begun to dry. I didn't want to jeopardize anything!" Felicity's voice slowly began to rise as panic simmered away in her stomach.

"You do realize it was already in jeopardy as soon as the press got wind that we might be in a relationship!" He was shouting now, his voice growing louder and angrier by the minute.

"Hey, calm down," Sara said as she reached over and placed her hand over his forearm, giving it a gentle squeeze. "She couldn't have known any of this would happen," she tried to reason with him, but he pushed her hand away and stood up to start pacing the room.

Although Felicity had an inkling as to how Oliver would react when he found out about the connection to the press photo, she decided to tell him anyway. There was no use delaying the inevitable. Getting this all out in the open now would save her a lot of grief in the future. "I'm pretty sure he was the same person that released the photo to the press," Felicity meekly said, keeping her eyes down at her hands in her lap.

Oliver halted in his tracks and turned sharply in her direction, his angry glare startling her. "Jesus, Felicity!" he shouted. "Do you have any idea what that could have done to us? If this person knew what was going on? If the press even had any idea of what went on after hours between the three of us, that would put Queen Consolidated  _and_ Black Canary Security Consulting in hot water! And don't even get me started on the guy down the hall!"

"You're acting like I don't already know!" she yelled back. "That's why I brought in Barry to help me figure this all out! I knew I could trust him because he also works for Helena! And he didn't ask any questions aside from the important ones! So don't worry, Oliver, you're secret's safe, especially now that he's  ** _in a coma_**!"

Her eyes were blurry with tears as she stood toe-to-toe with him, not backing down even as Oliver glared at her. There was no doubt in Felicity's mind that he was beyond angry, but so was she. The burden of the blame already lay squarely on her shoulders, and there was no getting past that. She already blamed herself for everything that happened. Having him angry with her just salted the wound.

"Calm down!" Sara finally growled as she stood up and pushed them apart. "Both of you! That's enough! Someone's life hangs in the balance and we need to find out who's responsible for it! Now is not the time to be arguing about this. We'll deal with it later. I called my dad and he's on his way to do whatever he can."

Oliver's jaw ticked as he stared down at Felicity. Without taking his eyes off her, he muttered, "I'm just… gonna go get some air." And with that, he stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Sara grabbed Felicity's arm and led her back to the chair she had previously occupied. "You still should have told us at the beginning," she said.

"I know," Felicity mumbled.

"And you know you're in for one hell of a punishment once things calm down?"

Her head shot up. "Why? I didn't do anything wrong! I didn't lie to either one of you!"

"No, but you omitted the truth and you got an outsider involved. That's just as bad as lying in Oliver's book," Sara explained. "Once he trusts someone, he trusts them completely, and the fact that he trusted you so quickly and so easily says a lot about your character. I know you're a good person, Felicity, and that just like us, you have a lot of secrets too, but when it comes to our collective safety, you need to tell us what's going on and about all parties involved. Because who knows what this guy might do next."

"That's what Barry said last night," Felicity replied. "He said it was escalating right after I…" Just as she was about to tell Sara about the necklace, the door swung open to reveal a tall, lanky older man in jeans and a black button up shirt beneath a dark brown leather jacket and salt-and-pepper hair.

"Hi, Dad," Sara said as she stood up to greet him with a warm hug.

"Long time, no see," he replied with a smile before pressing a kiss to her temple. Then he glanced over at Felicity and asked, "Who's your friend?"

"Dad, this is Felicity Smoak, the last person to see Barry Allen before he was put in the hospital," she introduced. "Felicity, meet my dad, Detective Quentin Lance, one of SCPD's finest."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Smoak," Det. Lance said as he extended his hand to give hers a quick yet firm shake.

"You too, Det. Lance," she quietly replied.

"So, this Allen kid… He's a friend of yours?"

"Yeah," Felicity answered. "We've known each other for a few years."

"What were you up to last night before the attack happened?"

"We'd met at the Starbucks two blocks from Queen Consolidated."

"Like a date or something?"

"No, we're just friends. He's helping me with something." Felicity's eyes flicked toward Sara, uncertain whether or not she should tell him about the stalker.

"What was he helping you with?" Det. Lance asked.

This time, she froze, her eyes immediately settling on Sara, silently asking her for advice. His daughter nodded and said, "You should tell him. He can help you, too."

Felicity nodded before turning back to the officer. "I'm being stalked by someone. Barry has been trying to help me figure out who the person is. Last night we met up because I'd gotten another 'gift' and I didn't know what else to do," she answered.

"How many 'gifts' have you received?"

"This is the third one so far. The first was flowers, the second a box a photos, and now…"

Felicity suddenly found it hard to breathe. She didn't want to think about the fact that her stalker had hacked into her security system or that he'd been in her apartment. It only pushed her further over the edge knowing she was no longer safe there.

"It's okay, sweetheart," Det. Lance said. "Take your time. I know this isn't easy for you."

"He was in my apartment!" Felicity sobbed as her head fell into her hands. "He hacked into my security system and was inside my apartment, my  _home_ , and he went through my stuff! And… And… And…" She couldn't think of anything else to say. Her cries echoed through the room even as Sara wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled Felicity to her chest. They rocked back and forth for quite some time, the gentle motion slowly putting her at ease, but not completely.

"Shh… It's okay. I've got you, baby girl. You're safe with me. Don't be afraid. I've got you," Sara whispered into her ear. After a good half hour, Felicity finally relaxed in her arms, her sobs giving way to sniffles until she had no more tears to cry.

This entire experience had been an exhausting one, and she didn't know if she had enough energy to keep going. But as Sara let her go and wiped the tears off her cheeks, her smile gave Felicity the strength to keep going. This woman had been through a hell of a lot worse than she had, and if she could get back up and dust herself off, then Felicity could too.

"I'm sorry, Detective," she said, seeing that he'd taken a seat across from them and had patiently waited for her to calm down before passing her a tissue.

"It's alright," he replied. "This isn't a first for me, unfortunately."

"Where was I?" Felicity asked.

"You were telling me about the gifts your stalker gave you," Det. Lance said. "Flowers, a photo box, and you didn't get to the last one."

"Right…" She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts and push past the knot in her throat just thinking about the fact that he'd been in her apartment. "It was a necklace. I gave it to Barry so he could test it to see if he could find anything on it." Then it hit her. "Oh, my god! The necklace!"

Felicity shot up off her seat and ran out of the waiting room into the hall. She didn't stop until she reached Barry's suite. Throwing open all the drawers until she found his belongings, she rifled through all the bloodstained clothing and items, searching for the plastic bag that held the necklace.

"No, no, no…" Felicity muttered under her breath as she went through them over and over again, praying that Barry had hidden it somewhere before he'd gotten attacked, but the bag was nowhere to be found. She was on the verge of tears again before a face came into focus in front of her.

"Felicity, calm down," Sara said, her hands reached up to cup her cheeks.

"They took the necklace!" Felicity slumped forward, her head resting against Sara's shoulder as she began to sob once more. "They took it!"

"Why was the necklace so important?" Det. Lance asked from beside her.

"Because it was taken from my apartment!" Felicity cried.

* * *

The guestroom in the penthouse was just as she'd left it that morning, with rumpled sheets and her stuff in a pile on the floor. Felicity couldn't bring herself to care. She was numb inside and out, her mind running through the events of the past twenty-four hours. It was hard not to blame herself for what happened to Barry. Maybe if she hadn't called him to come out he wouldn't be in that hospital bed right now. He'd be at home, working on homework or something along those lines, anything but in a coma.

With her knees pulled up to her chest, Felicity sat on the bed, avoiding any and all human contact. Once Det. Lance had finished questioning her and assuring her he would do everything in his power to find the people responsible for Barry's assault, Sara had taken her back to the penthouse. She still hadn't seen Oliver since he stormed out of the waiting room, but something told her he wouldn't stray for long. There was still a lot of stuff they had left unsaid, things she needed to get off her chest.

The door opened with a soft click, but Felicity didn't look up. She already knew who it was from the looming shadow cast by the light in the hallway.

"I'm sorry," Oliver softly said as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. "I shouldn't have snapped at you."

Her eyes flicked up to his as she replied, "No, you had every right to. I kept something really important from you, and I'm sorry. I just thought I'd be able to figure it out myself without needing to involve you, but, fuck… Everything just got turned on it's head and I don't know what to do anymore."

He sat down on the bed beside her, his arm tentatively wrapping around her shoulders, pulling her against his side. "Sara told me what you told Det. Lance, about the necklace, about how this... psycho broke into your apartment to steal it," Oliver said. He sighed, holding her close as his lips pressed against her temple. "I care about you, Felicity, and I can't sit back knowing there's someone out there who might want to hurt you."

"That's the thing," she replied. "I don't even know if he wants to hurt me. So far, he's only sent me things."

"But I know enough about stalkers to see this will only get worse if we don't figure out who we're dealing with," Sara said from the doorway. They both looked up at her as she strode into the room and took a seat opposite Oliver. "Some of my clients have been stalked. It was the reason why they even called me in the first place. Thankfully, my team has been able to catch these people before they could get violent, but I know the risks. And that's why I want you to consider letting me assign you to my best bodyguard."

"Wait, what?" Felicity asked, her eyes growing wide as she stared at Sara. "But… But what about my job? What will people say if they see some big dude in a black suit following my every move? I mean, I already have to deal with Carrie and her snide remarks about my extracurricular activities, which, by the way, is getting to the point of harassment. But don't worry, she's harmless and I can most definitely put her in her place. Hell, I did it yesterday, no problem…"

"He won't follow you around everywhere. He's trained to blend in. He'll just be like your shadow. If you go out by yourself, he'll escort you," Sara explained. "I promise, you won't even know he's there. That's how good he is at his job."

Felicity mulled it over. After what happened to Barry, she was inclined to accept Sara's help, but she was still reluctant to give up her independence, even if some stalker was following her. But if it meant giving them all peace of mind, then what was the harm in giving it a try? "Okay," she finally said.

"Good," Sara replied. "I can have him swing by tomorrow and we can do introductions, get a feel for everything."

"Alright," Felicity said with a nod.

"That's not the only reason I came in here, though," Sara added as she got up off the bed and took Felicity's hands, pulling her away from Oliver's side. "There's still the matter of your punishment for withholding information from us."

Felicity's face fell. She was wondering when they would get to that. Although she was worn thin from the rest of the day, she knew they had waited until now, giving her plenty of time to recover, before administering the punishment. "W-what are you going to do to me?" she cautiously asked, her eyes flicking from one lover to the other as they stood side by side, watching her.

"Sara and I have decided to punish you together," Oliver answered. "Now take off your clothes."

Stripping off her jeans and t-shirt, bra and panties, Felicity soon stood naked before them, her head slightly bowed as she waited for instructions.

"Let's go," Sara said, leading her out of the room and down the hall towards a door at the end: the dungeon.

Felicity remembered it almost too clearly from their last encounter in there, but this time instead of pleasure, she would receive pain. More furniture had been added to the room since the last time she was in there: padded benches, a Saint Andrew's Cross, a suspension frame, and a few other odds and ends she couldn't even begin to explain. Below the suspension frame, Oliver instructed her to stand.

She did so, letting her arms hang loosely at her sides. Felicity watched as he picked up a few pieces of leather with buckles from another table nearby, then placed them on a bench beside her. A wide posture collar was picked up first, and as he fixed it around her neck, Oliver tilted her chin up, locking it into place. Having the collar around her neck forced Felicity to stand even straighter than she usually did, not a hard feat, but uncomfortable nonetheless.

Oliver then cuffed her wrists, attaching a short metal pole from the back of the collar. The wrist cuffs were secured to the bottom of the neck pole, keeping them fixed behind Felicity, but clear of her naked bottom. He knelt and strapped on the ankle cuffs then fastened an expanding spreader bar between her feet. Firmly but steadily so she wouldn't lose her balance, her ankles were pushed apart until there was a little more than two feet of space between them. Not difficult for her, but with the potential of becoming uncomfortable over time.

Finally, Oliver attached a rope to the back of the collar then onto the wrist cuffs. Should she fall, Felicity knew the thick collar and rope would hold her weight, but she also knew it would be extremely uncomfortable and even temporarily restrict her air supply.

Through the entire procedure Oliver said nothing while Sara watched from behind them, her eyes roving over Felicity's naked body with the spark of lust. It was quickly tamped down, though, as Oliver walked around, testing the cuffs, ensuring that the rope was secured tightly so Felicity was safe, if slightly nervous and on edge.

Oliver walked away, then soon came back with a thin cane and a set of nipple clamps connected by a silver chain. Felicity breathed deeply as the rubber grips bit onto her nipples, focusing on the discomfort to find her equilibrium. When he stepped back and Sara took his place, she used the cane to tap the chain now swinging under the curve of her breasts, forcing a breath from her lungs at the sharp tug on the sensitive buds.

And then the caning began.

"Do you know why you're being punished?" Sara asked, her voice clear and firm as she raised the cane, ready to strike the first blow.

"Yes, Mistress," Felicity answered.

To her knowledge, many people had an entirely false impression that caning was about brutal strikes, six of the best applied as corporal punishment, or beaten over ass cheeks to raise instant welts. But Sara proved to be far more creative, more cruel with her use of the cane.

"Why are you being punished?" Sara asked, then flicked the thin rod over and around Felicity's body, each blow feeling like a hornet's sting, a cut that flared briefly before fading to a dull ache. She didn't rush the beating, but took her time to mark her thighs, ass, stomach, and breasts with small welts that would heal by morning.

"Because I withheld information from you," Felicity sharply answered. She struggled to process the pain, feeling almost, yet not quite overwhelmed with the sensation. Pure willpower kept her quiet at first, determined not to give away any sign of discomfort.

"That's correct," Sara said. "Is your punishment deserved?"

"Yes, Mistress!" Felicity squeaked, the sting of each blow intensifying as Sara worked her body over and over. Her mouth dropped open as she started to cry out. It began as a low keening at first, as fire burned across her skin, and slowly intensified into loud screams as a particularly harsh blow hit a sensitive area. Then Sara struck her bottom with brutal, cutting flicks that lashed her and made her jerk forward with each impact. She screamed in pain, and after the fifth slicing blow, the tears started; tears of pain and anguish, of remorse and grief, but mostly, tears of guilt and acceptance that she'd brought this on herself and therefore deserved it.

And still Sara struck her with the same intensity, three more times, driving the tears out of Felicity's body and soul and onto her cheeks where they rolled to the ground. After the tenth stroke had seared across her flesh, Sara held the cane over her head and asked, "Will you ever do that again?"

"No, Mistress!" Felicity wept. "I'm so sorry, Mistress. I will never withhold information from you or Sir ever again!"

The cane was cast aside as Sara walked around her body so they were face to face. She cupped Felicity's cheeks, stroking away the tears that soaked them, and smiled. "Good girl," Sara whispered before leaning forward and pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

Sara's hand drifted down her body, playing with the chain that connected the clips around her nipples. She tugged it, causing Felicity moan. The sensation was the exact opposite of what she'd experienced just moments ago. And Felicity wanted more. She licked her lips as Sara continued tugging and playing with the chain. Then her eyes flicked up for a moment before they returned to Felicity's helpless form.

Behind her, she sensed Oliver step closer. His hand fell to her hip, gently massaging it, before it slipped between her battered thighs and ran over her slit. Another moan, this time louder than the previous one, reverberated through the room. Slowly, he took her higher and higher, his hand cupping her moist lips, stroking over them, spreading the wetness that seeped out all over her skin.

In front of her, Sara continued to play with her breasts, tugging the chain between them until it was taut before releasing it and letting it hang once more. Soft kisses trailed from Felicity's lips to her ear, and the euphoric, floating sensation suddenly enveloped her. She barely felt when Sara and Oliver switched places. It wasn't until he was kneeling in front of her that she even realized he was there. A smiled played on her lips as he kissed his way along her chest, stopping at her collarbone to suck on the delicate skin.

Sara found another way to up the pleasure. From somewhere on the other side of the room, she retrieved a small device the size of a lipstick tube. And when she turned it on, Felicity heard the buzzing sound and immediately knew what was next. Sara pushed it against her dripping cunt, her hand grabbing a fistful of Felicity's hair, holding her head back as Oliver's hands cupped her breasts.

But Felicity wanted,  _needed_ more. "Please Mistress! Please Sir! Fuck me, use me, take whatever holes you want, but just let me feel you inside me!" she begged. Her hands clenched into fists as she focused on Oliver's face, but he gave away nothing.

It was Sara who replied, "Not tonight, baby girl. This is part of your punishment, so for now, this will have to do." And with that, she rubbed the infernal buzzing toy over Felicity's swollen clit, and her last vestiges of self control melted away. She screamed loudly in her orgasm. As wave after wave of pleasure surged through her, she felt free at last. Felicity was flying high, higher than she'd ever gone before. Her body hummed with absolute pleasure, her mind consumed by it, needing more.

And Sara gave it to her, freely, willingly, allowing her to fall over the edge not once, not twice, but three times before pulling the toy away from her shaking thighs. Felicity could barely stand on her own, the combination of her three orgasms and the painful punishment having completely zapped her energy. She felt nothing but absolute bliss at that moment, and she didn't want to leave this place, but then the tug of the chains connected to her breasts was gone, as was the pressure on her nipples. It brought Felicity back to the present almost instantly, and she had to fight the urge to gasp.

Both Oliver and Sara brought her down gently and untied her. Felicity was then wrapped in a blanket and led into the master bathroom as her two partners stripped. Someone filled the bathtub with warm water, and soon she was guided to the edge before strong arms scooped her up and gently lowered her inside. Sara was the first person she saw, and her body instantly slumped against her as Oliver grabbed the aloe and began applying it to all the welts that had been inflicted that night.

Tremors began to wrack Felicity's body once he finished. At first she thought it had to do with the cold aloe on her skin, but when the tremors turned into uncontrollable shaking and tears began to stream down her cheeks, she knew something was wrong. The high she'd felt earlier had faded, the endorphins having worn off, leaving only the pain as her constant companion.

Sara sensed it almost immediately and asked, "Are you okay, baby girl?" as she pulled away and cupped her face in her hands.

"I… I... " Felicity stuttered before she burst into tears. The full weight of the day's emotions finally fell upon her, leaving her under the deep, powerful pull of sadness and regret. Her sobs reverberated off the stone walls as she spiraled out of control. It was a sorrow unlike any that ever crashed over her, leaving Felicity defenseless and hopeless even with both of her partners beside her. She felt as if she were on some hellish island reliving every bad thing that had ever happened to her and wondering why.

The look on Sara's face went from concerned to terrified as she realized what was happening. "Oliver, she's dropping!" Sara urgently called to him as she pulled Felicity into her chest and wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

Felicity sobbed into her neck, breaking down with abandon as Sara rubbed her hands up and down her arms in gentle, soothing motions. A moment later, Oliver had pressed his chest against Felicity's back, his arms enveloping her waist as he buried his face in her hair. "It's okay, baby," he whispered against her ear. Soft kisses landed on the side of her throat, between her shoulders, and down her spine as he did his best to soothe her. "Just breath with me. In and out… In and out…"

Felicity followed his instructions to the letter, her chest rising and falling in time with his until the overwhelming panic subsided. Sara continued to hold her, pressing kisses to her forehead and cheeks, until the shaking ended and Felicity was left with bone-deep exhaustion. The tears that streamed from her eyes dried as her eyelids fluttered shut, the pull of unconsciousness a welcome feeling.

"Alright, baby girl," Sara whispered, "let's get you to bed."

Felicity mumbled an incoherent reply as bodies shifted and moved in the tub, the water lapping at her knees and thighs before strong arms slipped beneath her shoulders and hoisted her up. But she was too tired, too mentally exhausted to stand on her own. Her eyes fluttered open to find Oliver readjusting his hold until her cheek was pressed to his chest and his arms surrounded her waist, keeping her upright as Sara slipped a robe over her shoulders.

Her body was then lifted once more, only this time Felicity wrapped her arms around Oliver's neck, holding onto him for dear life as she was brought into the bedroom. Ever so gently, he set her down in the center of the bed, careful not to put pressure on her back. Her head landed on the pillow as he and Sara toweled off before slipping into their respective places beside her and drawing the duvet over their bodies.

"Rest, baby girl," Sara whispered into her ear as she wrapped her arms around Felicity's chest, just below her breasts.

Then she felt Oliver's arms band around her waist before he was fully pressed to her front. Soft lips peppered her forehead with kisses until she finally relaxed against him, her body completely going limp. "We need to talk about what happened in the morning, okay?" he asked.

"Mmmkay," Felicity sleepily replied.

Oliver smiled down at her. "You did well," he murmured before pressing one final kiss to the crown of her head. "Goodnight, baby."

"G'night," Felicity mumbled back before her head nestled beneath Oliver's chin and Sara's face fell to the back of her neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that was a really rough chapter, but there's some payoff in the next one. There will always be chapters that you will and won't like. I know many of you have mixed feelings about the punishment, but keep an open mind. This isn't a normal relationship we're dealing with and things aren't always going to be cute and sweet and sexy. There's going to be pain involved. But if you stick around and wade through all this, I promise you a happy ending in part 2.
> 
> Thanks, as always, for reading and reviewing. Constructive criticism is always welcome, but negative criticism won't be tolerated.


	20. Chapter 20

Hushed voices awoke Felicity the next morning. She didn't know where they were coming from, but it was clear they belonged to Oliver and Sara since they were no longer snuggled against her as they had been the previous night. At least the feelings from the night before had subsided and she no longer felt sad or depressed or scared for that matter.

But then she heard the voices rise in volume and anger, and her ears quickly picked up the conversation.

"That was the worst case of sub drop I've ever seen, Sara. Worse than the time I put you in that cage!" Oliver said. "I told you we shouldn't have punished her so soon after what happened to her friend. We should have waited!"

"But just last night you agreed with me!" Sara shot back. "What the hell, Ollie? Why are you suddenly changing your mind after the fact?"

"Because I knew better, yet you kept pushing it!"

"I kept pushing it because you would have gotten soft and not done anything at all!"

"What's wrong with going soft for once?"

"What's wrong is that no one learns to respect the rules! And in this house, we have rules! Maybe I should punish you again for not abiding by them!"

"I'd take it, gladly, if it meant Felicity wouldn't have to suffer like that again."

There was a long pause between them. One that lasted far longer than Felicity would have liked. Even though they sounded far away, she could feel the tension quickly filling the penthouse, and it was all because of her. She didn't understand what had happened between Tuesday night and this morning. It had been going so well up until now. How could things have fallen apart so quickly?

"You have feelings for her, don't you?" Sara hissed.

Felicity's mouth dropped open as she silently gasped. That wasn't what she expected, nor was it something she ever wanted to hear. The horror of finding out a client was falling for her made her skin go cold. 'No, this can't be happening,' she thought, over and over, hoping Oliver would say something to the contrary.

"What?" he incredulously scoffed. "Like you don't?"

"I care about her!" Sara defended. "But obviously not as much as  _you_ do. Admit it, you're falling for her!"

"Sara, are you hearing yourself? You're making it sound as if I don't love you when the whole reason why I brought Felicity into our relationship was because  _you_ wanted it! Everything I've ever done was for  _you_! And now you're accusing me of falling for her when all I've wanted to do was fix things between us?"

Felicity felt her breath catch in her throat as she waited to hear what Sara had to say. Relief spread through her veins as she let herself relax back into the mattress. She wanted her to believe Oliver because it was obvious to her Sara loved him just as much as he loved her, but for some reason there was still a huge strain in their relationship stemming from something Felicity still couldn't figure out. As the moment stretched on, she found herself beginning to roll onto her back, and just when it pressed against the mattress, a loud yelp escaped her throat as pain seared through her body, white hot and piercing all the way to her core.

"Felicity?!" she heard Oliver call out before two sets of feet came rushing out of the closet straight to her bedside. He was the first at her side and kneeled down, his hand reaching out to cup her face as she sat up. "Are you okay?" he asked, the concern clear in his azure eyes.

"Yeah, I just rolled onto my back when I shouldn't have," Felicity replied, gritting her teeth when the pressure on her ass became too much to handle. Last night's punishment had some pretty awful lasting effects, and if that included being unable to sit in a chair, she was screwed when it came to work. Speaking of which, she really needed to get ready if she was going to make it on time.

"Hey, take it easy," Oliver said when she tried to sit up and swing her legs over the side of the bed only to hiss in pain. "Just lie down and try not to move so much."

"But I need to get up and get ready for work," Felicity protested.

"Not today," Sara piped up from the other side of the bed, prompting Felicity's head to whip in her direction.

She forgot the other blonde was standing there, her focus having solely landed on Oliver. The intensity of his gaze always threw her, and when it was focused just on her, she couldn't help getting sucked into it. Felicity immediately felt guilty. After everything she'd heard that morning, she should have known better. But she couldn't help it. She was drawn to him like a moth to a flame and could now understand where Sara's fears stemmed from.

"Why?" Felicity quickly asked, suddenly becoming aware of the silence that had enveloped the room.

"Because, for one, you're in pain and can barely sit without looking as if you're constipated," Sara answered with a wry smile. She shifted from one foot to the other, watching as Oliver pulled away and took a seat a few feet from Felicity. "And two, we're meeting with your new bodyguard tonight because I am not letting you out of this house without some form of protection against your stalker."

With a sigh, Felicity reluctantly nodded.

"Good," Sara replied, crossing her arms over her chest before her eyes settled on Oliver for a moment. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get to the office so I can take care of the paperwork you'll need to fill out and sign. Then I have more whiny rich boys to deal with." And with that, she strode out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Felicity rolled onto her side and wrapped the covers around her shoulders. This would be the second day that week she had missed work, and that's not what she wanted. No, she wanted to be at her desk, working on all the ideas that had been floating through her mind now that the Applied Sciences division was coming to fruition in the next couple of months. Anything to escape the tension she suddenly felt settle over the room now that Sara was gone.

It didn't stop her from silently cursing her stalker for forcing her to put her life on hold. Felicity didn't like being confined like this. It must have shown on her face because soon the bed dipped beside her and Oliver's face came into view.

"Hey," he whispered, his hand coming up to stroke a few strands of hair away from her cheek. "You don't look too happy."

"Of course I don't," Felicity deadpanned as she stared straight into his eyes. "I seem to be stuck here under house arrest for the foreseeable future. Or, at least, until I get my  _bodyguard_."

"I'm sorry," Oliver lamented as his thumb traced her cheekbone. "We just want to keep you safe."

"I know," she sighed. "Believe me, I'd love nothing more than to figure out who's stalking me just so life can go back to normal, but I've done everything I could."

"And Barry was helping you, wasn't he?"

"Yeah. He tried to find fingerprints off the photos I received and even swabbed the box they came in for DNA, but he wasn't able to get anything off them. When I got the necklace in my mailbox, he was the first person I called. I was hoping he'd get something off it, but now it's gone and he's… he's…" Whatever resolve Felicity had crumbled when she thought about the condition Barry was in. Tears slid down her cheeks and she buried her face in her pillow, not wanting Oliver to see her so broken yet again.

But he was quickly wrapping her in his arms and pulling her into his chest. "I know," Oliver whispered. "I'm sorry."

"It's just… I don't have many friends," Felicity mumbled. "And he… he's one of my best friends, Oliver. He might not have known me for that long, but we just hit it off because we were both big science nerds who had fallen on hard times. And I would give anything for him to be okay and for him to recover from this."

"I understand," Oliver replied as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "And I know this doesn't even remotely compare to your situation, but I don't want what happened to Tommy to happen to Barry. I don't want to see you have to go through losing a friend." He pulled away from her then, his hands reaching up to wipe the tears that had spilled down her cheeks. "Tell you what. Why don't we go grab some lunch at that diner then go see Barry at the hospital?"

"But what about what Sara said…?"

"You'll be with me the whole time, and although I'm not exactly a bodyguard, I do know how protect the people I care about."

The soft smile that appeared on his lips was what sold Felicity on the idea. She smiled back, feeling the tension ebb away, then threw the covers off her body. But when she tried to sit up too quickly, the pain that seared through her put a temporary hold on their plans. Felicity howled in pain before rolling onto her side and burying her face in her pillow.

"I hate seeing you in pain," Oliver said as he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. "I think I might have something that'll help you hurt less." He slipped out of bed, but returned a few moments later. The covers and robe were pulled away from Felicity's body, leaving her battered bottom and thighs on display.

"Jesus…" Oliver hissed.

"Is it that bad?" Felicity asked, cringing into her pillow as she rolled onto her stomach.

With a sigh, he said, "I've seen worse." Then Oliver proceeded to to straddle her legs before his hands landed on the curves of her ass. Felicity hissed in pain as he massaged some kind of cream into her skin, but after a few minutes, the sting turned into a dull ache.

"How much worse?" she absently asked, her head lolling to the side as his hands continued their ministrations.

"Sara's been known to inflict some serious pain," Oliver said. "In the past, she's broken skin. There were a few times where I've needed stitches."

Felicity's head sharply turned to look at him and she finally noticed some of the purple welts across his torso for the first time. Her eyes went wide as she surveyed him and realized that the part of their night she'd missed the other evening was the part where Sara had punished him. "Do they hurt?" Felicity softly asked as rose onto her elbows and gazed back at him.

"I'm okay," Oliver replied with a smile as he screwed the lid onto the container and set it down on the nightstand. "It just comes with the territory. Sara and I both like to get rough sometimes. We had a good time the other night when I let her whip me."

"Is that how you got some of your scars?" The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, but the look in his eyes wasn't one of anger or shame. It was thoughtful and introspective, as if he was thinking about his answer.

"Some are from Sara," Oliver said. "Others are from Helena. The rest are from the various surgeries I needed after the accident."

Felicity simply nodded. She couldn't wrap her head around it even though she knew this was another facet of Oliver's life that rarely ever made an appearance. She wanted to know more, but held her tongue. That was a conversation for another time, one that didn't involve the remnants of a painful punishment.

"You know, I heard you and Sara arguing earlier," Felicity said as she crossed her arms in front of her and let her head fall over them.

Oliver stilled. His eyes shot to her as he started, "Oh… I'm sor-"

"You don't have to apologize to me," Felicity replied. "You didn't wake me, nor did you offend me. Things happen whether you want them to or not. You're trying your hardest with Sara, but the ball's in her court now, and whether she chooses to believe you or not is up to her."

For a long time, Oliver didn't say anything. He simply continued to massage the pain cream into all the welts over her ass and thighs before scooting back and hopping off the bed. Felicity thought he would head to the bathroom to put it away, but instead, she found him crouching beside her with a tender smile on his face.

"You know, we still need to talk about what happened last night," Oliver said.

"I know," Felicity sighed.

"You seemed to be doing fine," he replied. "Throughout the entire scene, there was nothing that made me think you had even come close to subspace. You were lucid, you were focused, you seemed like yourself. What happened?"

"I don't really know," she admitted. "Last night was amazing. Although I've never really liked caning, the pleasure I get from it is always intense afterwards. I think maybe it was the fact that so much was going on in my head that I didn't even realize I was drifting. It wasn't until you pulled me back by taking off the nipple clamps that I saw what had happened. By that time it was too late and there really wasn't anything left to do aside from aftercare, which, by the way, I'm very grateful for because the last time I dropped, no one was there to catch me."

Oliver's gaze softened as he leaned in to press a kiss to her forehead. "Thank you for telling me," he said. "I'll make sure to watch you more closely next time. You really scared us last night. I'm glad you're doing better now."

"Thank you," Felicity replied, "You and Sara are probably the best Doms I've ever had."

"You're welcome," Oliver said. He stood up and stretched before adding, "Get ready. You can wear whatever feels comfortable today. I don't wanna see you in anymore pain." And then he was gone, headed into the bathroom to wash his hands and shower.

Felicity grabbed a pair of loose-fitting sweatpants, an oversized t-shirt, and one of her worn out MIT hoodies she'd grabbed from her apartment weeks ago. Paired with her favorite running shoes, she looked as if she'd be lounging around all day instead of going out for lunch and heading to the hospital to check on her friend. Oliver ended up in a similar outfit, only he decided to add a baseball cap to his ensemble where she chose sunglasses to block out the bright Thursday morning sun.

The cold chill of late fall was the first thing they felt upon stepping out into the passageway that led to the secondary garage where Felicity's car was parked. She shivered as they walked, rubbing her hands together before slipping them into the front pockets of the hoodie. When Oliver noticed the way she huddled into herself, his arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her into the warmth of his body.

Tucked under his arm, Felicity felt safe and protected, like no one could touch her, but she knew the dangers associated with having a stalker. Someday, it would escalate to the point where the man could harm her, but today was not that day. She had to keep telling herself that in order to silence the monsters in her head, otherwise they would overwhelm her like they did last night. Just thinking about that experience sent a cold shiver down her spine, prompting Oliver to tighten his arm around her.

The car was warm from sitting in the sun all morning. Climbing into the driver's seat, Felicity squirmed for a moment. The pressure on her bottom was still a little uncomfortable, but at least it wasn't unbearable. After turning on the engine, they were off, headed toward Oliver's favorite little diner away from the world.

"How, exactly, did you find this place?" Felicity asked as she took a sip of her soda. They were at his favorite table again, hidden away from the rest of the diners. "I mean, this is pretty far away from the penthouse and nowhere near your parents' home."

"One drunken night with Tommy, we stumbled in here after getting kicked out of a club a few blocks away. At the time, there was this really cute waitress that worked here, and the only reason he came back was so he could flirt with her," Oliver chuckled.

"Is that what kept  _you_ coming back?"

"Well, the food is pretty good. And considering it's so far away from everything else, it was just a nice place to go to when things got too heavy at home. It's been my escape for a while now. It hurt coming back here after Tommy died, but the older wait staff always made me feel welcome. Gladys… She was my favorite. Babied me like the mother I wish I had."

"I hope this isn't too personal to ask, but why do I get a sense that things between you and your family aren't that great? I mean, aside from Thea, you've never really talked about your mom and you've only mentioned your dad a few times."

"There really isn't much to say. You know my dad. He was the big CEO that was too busy to spend time with his family because money came first. And my mom… She tried, but most of the time she was off to social events with her friends, which left Thea and I with nannies. Looking back at it now, I've realized the only reason I did all those stupid things before the accident was because I was just looking to get their attention, even if it was so they would punish me. It meant they couldn't ignore me for just a few minutes."

Felicity reached over the table and took his hand, giving it a little squeeze as a show of support. "After my father left, my mom and I clung to each other as much as possible," she said. "It was rough without him those first few years. My mom worked three shifts to keep a roof over our heads, but if she had time off, she'd always spend it with me, even if we couldn't really go anywhere. We'd stay up all night and watch chick flicks while eating popcorn and mint chip ice cream. The sad thing is, I barely even remember my father, but when I do think about him, I think about how he missed out on having an amazing family."

Oliver smiled at her, his hand turning beneath her fingers so they were now palm to palm. "Do you ever think about it?" he asked.

"Think about what?"

"Starting a family."

Felicity paused to mull over his question. "Every once in a while, it pops into my head, but with the life I lead, and the number of people I've slept with, I feel like finding someone who can look past it would be pretty close to impossible. I mean, I know I could keep the fact that I was a prostitute a secret, but I hate lying to the people I love even if it is to protect them. That's one lesson I've learned the hard way," she said, shifting in her seat with a cringe due to the pain emanating from her backside.

Oliver looked down at his plate, unable to look her in the eye. "I'm sorry for what Sara did to you last night," he quietly apologized. "I wasn't expecting her to get so... violent. I don't know what's gotten into her. We had such a great time on our date and the sex afterwards… I can't even begin to describe how incredible it was. But it's like recently, she's just been running hot and cold, and I really don't know what's going on anymore. I feel like no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get through to her anymore."

"You want me to talk to her?" Felicity offered, as crazy as that sounded, considering the woman had beat her so severely she could barely sit without being in pain. But that was what she'd signed up for: incredible sex with a side of punishment if things didn't go right. She couldn't fault Sara for adhering to the rules. It was a tenant in their relationship, and therefore it needed to happen since Felicity had broken a rule. "Maybe she needs some girl time. After all, it's just been the three of us for the past few weeks. Maybe she's due for a girl's night out."

"That's not a bad idea, actually," Oliver said.

"I'll talk to her tonight and see when she's free," Felicity replied. "I think it would be nice to go out and have dinner or just grab a coffee. Anything to get her mind off what's going on because I feel like she's got a lot on her plate, but she doesn't talk about it."

A knowing smile crawled onto Oliver's lips as he gazed up at her. "That's Sara, alright," he said. "I've tried to talk to her about what's going on in her head, but she's only told me a few things. She also tried talking to a therapist, but that didn't work out either. I've done everything in my power to help her, but sometimes I think I'm just trying too hard, you know? Like, does she even want my help? Am I pushing her too hard? Should I pull back a little? Should I give up?" He paused for a moment, his eyes darting out the window. Then, he quietly asked, "Is it worth it anymore?"

Felicity stared at him for several moments as his eyes wandered back to hers, the question making the air around them suddenly turn tense. "Do you really love her, or are you trying to hold onto something that might not be there anymore?" she cautiously asked.

Oliver didn't speak for several minutes. As she waited for his answer, Felicity finished off the last bites of her cheeseburger before wiping her hands on a paper napkin.

"I don't know," Oliver quietly answered.

"Then I think you need to find the answer to that question before you go looking for the answers to the others."

Her reply left Oliver speechless, and for the rest of lunch, they remained silent. Even the drive to the hospital was quiet, something that left Felicity feeling unsettled. Had she struck a nerve? Should she apologize? After all, it wasn't really her place to be saying those kinds of things, especially after what she'd heard that morning.

Once they'd parked in the hospital's parking garage and she'd turned off the engine, Felicity turned to him. The first words out of her mouth were, "Oliver, I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have said that. I know it wasn't my place…"

"No," he quickly cut her off as his hand landed on her forearm, giving it a light squeeze. Her eyes shot up to his face and found him softly smiling at her. "You're right. I don't know what I want. I don't know if Sara and I still have what we had two years ago. I thought bringing you in would help, but I feel like it just complicated things even more."

A deep resigned sigh left Oliver's lungs. "I'm terrified of losing the people who mean the most to me," he finally admitted. "I've been trying to cling to what I've known since the accident, and I know that's not healthy. I know I need to move on, to find something new, to become someone new because my life shouldn't be dictated by my past, but it's hard. It's hard to let go. It's hard to move on. It's hard not to see Tommy's face everywhere I go.

"I can't even begin to tell you how guilty I feel for all the pain I've caused his family. And I try, everyday, to atone for what I've done be it through charity or through keeping my distance from the things that got me into trouble or through working extra long hours at the office. Hell, I'm even trying to use sex to take my mind off things and it's become pretty obvious that I've only managed to screw it all up like I usually do," Oliver said as he head dropped and his chin hit his chest in exasperation.

"Hey," Felicity whispered as she wrapped her hand around his wrist, giving it a little squeeze. "Oliver, hey." She reached out, her fingers sliding beneath his chin and bringing his face up so their eyes met. The pain that swirled in those azure pools stole the breath from her lungs and made her heart ache for him. "You're not a screw-up," she said. "When I look at you, I see someone who's been through hell these last few years. I see someone who's trying their hardest to be everything he can be for his family and for his friends. What I see is a tortured soul who's desperate to find a certain kind of love that comes from a past borne of pain. Someday, I know you'll find it whether it be with Sara or someone else. You will find it, Oliver Queen. I promise you."

Her thumb stroked over his cheek, the stubble rasping beneath her finger causing his eyes to droop shut. Oliver sighed again as he turned his head and pressed a kiss to her palm. Goosebumps began forming down Felicity's arm, and when his eyes fluttered open, she could have sworn the world had faded away, leaving only the two of them in the front seats of her car. The way he looked at her, it seemed as if he was seeing her for the first time, and it made the breath catch in her throat.

Oliver laid his palm over her hand before dragging his lips against the inside of her wrist. They trekked up her arm, along the inside of her elbow and up, up, up until he reached her shoulder. Felicity's breaths came out shallow as he continued kissing the side of her neck and the back of her ear. A warm shiver ran down her spine when he made his way to her cheek and paused before reaching her lips.

They stared at each other for several moments, a hairs breadth apart. Oliver seemed to be waiting for her to take that last step, to lean in and kiss him. But fear slowly crept into Felicity's mind: fear that this was going to ruin everything, fear that her feelings for him ran deeper than they should, fear that she was betraying Sara if she kissed him at that moment. Her biggest fear, though, was the fear of not exploring the possibilities, of letting go of something that had the potential to bring her great joy. And she wanted that. She wanted it more than money, more than a good job, more than anything in the world.

So Felicity leaned forward, her lips pressing to his as his hand slipped behind the back of her head, to hold her closer. This kiss felt different from all the other kisses they'd shared. It was more charged, more full of potential and the unknown than she'd ever felt before. And when she reached out, her hand falling against his bicep, she clung to Oliver as if the earth was caving beneath her seat. She needed to feel him, to know he was in this just as deep as she was, and when his tongue traced the seam of her lips, Felicity got her answer.

Oliver was all in and suddenly the rules of the game had changed.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE:**
> 
> After last week's debacle in the comments section, I have decided to take a step back from writing and updating this story. **And I expect people to respect that decision and not to pressure me into posting another chapter until I have dealt with my issues.** I've been battling with depression for four years now. I've had highs (2012-2013) and lows (2011, 2014-present) and as of right now, I've reached a very low point in my life. This story is currently a major source of my anxiety and I need to step away from it. Please respect that. Today I started my first round of medication that I've neglected for the past two years in hopes of getting better and being able to get my life back under control.
> 
> Now, I don’t like it when people are pushy with me. It just makes me want to do something less. So the more of those types of reviews I get, the less I’ll want to come back to this story in the future. If y’all want me to come back, if y’all want me to continue writing and updating and posting, please respect my need for some distance from it for the time being. Let me see how my meds work out these next few weeks. Let me see if they even out my moods and bring back just a tiny bit of the confidence I’ve lost these past two years. **_Let me heal._** That’s all I ask.

"We really need to talk about what just happened," Felicity quietly said as she and Oliver walked side by side down the long, cold corridor that led from the parking garage into the main hospital building. It was empty aside from the two of them, and the footfalls echoed through the windowless hallway. His hand was wrapped around her, holding on tight as they walked side by side.

"I know," Oliver replied, giving her fingers a light squeeze as he gazed down at her with a heart-melting smile. "Later."

"Why not now?" Felicity asked, glaring up at him. This was one important conversation they absolutely needed to have because it would change the entire course of their contract. If Oliver was even entertaining the thought of leaving Sara for her, Felicity needed to know. She couldn't even begin to fathom living with a burden that large.

"Because we're out in public and I don't want anyone to hear what we're talking about," he answered as they reached the lobby. Felicity pursed her lips but didn't add anything more. She couldn't argue with his logic.

An elevator ride ten floors up took them to ICU and Barry's room, which had suddenly become a little more crowded than normal. Felicity spotted someone standing beside his bed just before reaching for the knob. A woman about her height with flawless dark skin and pretty brown eyes took a seat in the chair beside him and wrapped her hand around his.

"Who's she?" Oliver softly asked as he watched the scene unfold. He had known about Barry and the fact that he worked as a bartender in the lower level of Verdant. Felicity hadn't been able to stop babbling about him the previous day while they waited for him to be brought to his room.

"I don't know," she replied, "But I intend to find out. The only people Barry knows from Starling are me, Helena, and a few of the other people from the club. And he's told me he doesn't have very many school friends either. She must be someone from Central City, though, because that's where he's originally from."

"You want me to go and ask?" Oliver said as he let go of her hand and began making his way toward the door.

Felicity grabbed his forearm, quickly pulling him back and saying, "No, I've got it. I'm a little less intimidating than you." His sour-face made her smile as she raised herself up on the tips of her toes and pressed a soft kiss to his lips after seeing that the hallway was empty. That calmed Oliver down considerably as he relaxed beneath her touch. "I'll be right back," she assured him before stepping away.

"Oh, Barry," she heard the woman whisper from the threshold of the door. "Why you?"

Felicity gently knocked on the metal door frame, grabbing the woman's attention almost immediately. They stared at each other, pale blue eyes meeting chocolate brown. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but who are you?" Felicity asked as politely as she could. The woman turned and gave her a surprised look. "Ugh, I apologize. That sounded a bit harsh, I know, but it's just that Barry doesn't have a lot of friends, and I know pretty much all of them myself, so seeing someone I don't know kinda makes me a little paranoid considering what happened to him."

The woman stood up from the chair, her hand slipping out of Barry's as she turned to Felicity. "I understand," she said, giving her a warm smile and extending her hand. "I'm Iris… Iris West. I just got in from Central City."

_Iris West._  The name sounded familiar. Then it clicked. "You're Barry's best friend, right?" Felicity asked, gripping her hand and giving it a gentle shake.

"Yep, that's me," Iris nodded.

"It sucks that we're meeting under these circumstances," Felicity said, "but it's really nice to finally meet you."

"Not to be rude or anything, but you are…?" Iris asked, pausing for a moment.

"Felicity… Felicity Smoak," she introduced herself.

" _You're_  Felicity," Iris said with a smile. "Barry's mentioned you a few times. Said you were some computer genius or something that helped him when he dropped his phone a few months ago."

"That would be me," Felicity replied. "Certified computer genius."

They stood awkwardly for a few moments, assessing each other. Felicity could see the tired look in the brunette's eyes and the way she seemed to slump forward, as if the weight of her friend's injuries was heaped on her shoulders. She knew that feeling all too well considering it was her fault that Barry was in this mess in the first place.

"So, um, how much do you know about what happened to him?" Iris asked as she turned to her friend, her hand falling on the bed beside his foot. "I saw the story on the news last night and rushed over on the first train out without even telling my dad. Do the police have any leads on who might have attacked him? Are they even looking into it?"

"They're doing everything they can," Felicity assured her. "Det. Lance, he's my… friend's dad, and he personally told me he would take care of this himself, so don't worry. He's doing everything in his power to find the person responsible for doing this to Barry. I'm half tempted to go out and canvas the area myself if I could, but the Glades aren't exactly the safest place for a girl to be walking around by herself, ya know? Besides, I don't think my friends would be too happy if I even tried, so I'm just going to let the police do what they're good at."

"That's good to know," Iris replied with a wavering smile. "I haven't seen Barry in months. I was actually planning on coming down here for his birthday as a surprise, but I guess that won't be happening now. I just… can't believe someone would do this to him. He's such a sweet guy. Besides, if it was an attempted robbery, he would have just given the guy his wallet, no qualms about it. Barry knows not to risk his life for something as small as a few dollars in his pocket."

Felicity's stomach churned after hearing the way Iris described her friend. Barry really was a gentle soul, someone who would give the shirt off his back to anyone in need. "I can't help but feel responsible for what happened," she admitted. "Barry came out to help me with something that night and now I'm wishing I had just gone over to his place instead." Felicity could feel the tears welling in her eyes and half expected Iris to lash out at her for what she said.

Instead, the other woman wrapped her arms around Felicity's shoulders and held her tight. "It's not your fault anymore than it is his," Iris said. "The person who did this to him, he's the one at fault, so don't blame yourself. It'll just make you feel worse."

"Thank you," Felicity mumbled before pulling away from her embrace. "God, I can't believe I'm turning into such a mess. I've barely just met you and I'm already crying on your shoulder. I'm sorry."

"Oh, no! Don't worry about it," Iris replied as her hand rubbed up and down Felicity's arm. "Being a reporter, I've had my fair share of people I don't know crying on my shoulder. You're not the first and you certainly won't be the last."

The sound of a soft cough startled them both as they turned toward the door to see Oliver standing there, his shoulder pressed against the frame with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Oh, my god! I'm so sorry!" Felicity yelped as she practically ran over to him and grabbed his forearm, pulling him toward Iris. "Oliver, this is Barry's friend from Central City, Iris West. Iris, this is…"

"Oliver Queen," the brunette breathed, her chocolate brown eyes immediately going wide as saucers as she stared at him, star struck and speechless. "It is such a pleasure to meet you," she continued, the smile on her face lighting up as she extended her hand.

Oliver politely shook it all the while standing as close to Felicity as physically possible. "Nice to meet you too, Iris," he replied before wrapping an arm around Felicity's waist and leaning down to whisper into her ear. "Be careful of what you say, please," he murmured then stood up straight once more.

She glared up at him, her face stern as her eyes bore into his for a moment as if to say, 'You think I don't know that?' He relaxed his arm, his hand sliding from her hip to the small of her back and staying there as a moment of awkward silence passed between them.

"So, do you know Barry, too?" Iris asked.

"I know of him, but I don't know him personally," Oliver honestly replied. "Felicity was supposed to introduce us at some point, but she never got the chance." It was a diplomatic answer, one full of thinly veiled lies that only she could see, but Felicity didn't say another word. She understood why he wanted to hide as much from Iris as possible. Being a reporter, she had the potential to expose them, and that was the last thing he wanted. So until he could assess how much of a threat she posed, they'd stick to the "We're just friends and coworkers" story and lie through his teeth.

Lying… It seemed to be the theme that week, Felicity thought as her face fell slightly and she pulled away from Oliver just enough that he noticed. He followed, his body remaining close to hers, keeping her within reach as if he was trying to protect. To a certain extent, he was, and she appreciated him for being so concerned for her welfare, but at that moment, all Felicity wanted was a friend, someone who understood the pressure she was under and could make her feel better.

She could see that in Iris, in the way she held herself, arms wrapped around her body, protecting herself from the people around her. She was hurting, too, and it was hard for her to keep up the front she put on for everyone. So Felicity pulled away from Oliver and made her way to Iris, her hand falling on her forearm as she said, "Would you like to go grab a cup of coffee? You look like you could use one. Oliver can stay here and watch Barry for a little while. Right, Oliver?"

Felicity shot him a look, her eyes conveying her need to comfort the fragile creature beside her. He sighed and nodded. "Go," Oliver said. "But keep your phone on just in case I need to get a hold of you. And don't forget, we have that dinner meeting this evening."

"I know," Felicity replied as she rolled her eyes at him. "Don't worry. We'll only be gone for a little while." Then she linked her arm around Iris's and led her out of the room.

"So, are you two…?" Iris began to ask before Felicity cut her off.

" _No!_  No, we are most definitely not together," she answered, feeling her gut churn. When had she become so good at blatantly lying to people? Keeping secrets was one thing, but lying… It was something Felicity didn't like doing. But the words continued to spill from her mouth as she added, "Oliver's just the overprotective best friend type. Besides, he's my boss and it's against company policy to fraternize with coworkers."

The lies felt like acid on her tongue the more she spoke. And Felicity hated herself for it. After last night's god awful punishment for simply keeping a secret, she just wanted to tell the truth, but she understood the danger it posed. The last thing she wanted was the press getting wind of her relationship with Oliver and Sara. One scare had already been more than enough. She couldn't risk another one.

"Ah, I see," Iris replied. "So, please tell me we're going to get some real coffee and not that sludge they serve out of the vending machines," she quickly changed the subject.

"Oh, god, that stuff is pretty awful! I had some yesterday and nearly spit it out. No, we are going for a real cup of coffee down the street. There's a Starbucks about a block away."

"Good, because I love good coffee. I used to work at Jitters, which is this great little coffee shop back home, and the coffee there is spectacular."

"Iris," Felicity said as she tugged the woman against her side with a smile, "I think you and I are going to be great friends."

Together, they walked out of the hospital and down the street to where Felicity remembered the coffee shop being. They chit-chatted about the small things like how Starling City compared to Central City (Starling was much darker and foreboding), what it was like growing up there (quiet and peaceful), and what her parents did for a living (her mother had died and her father was a detective for the Central City PD).

It wasn't until they were standing in line that the topic of Iris's job came into question. "So, you're a reporter?" Felicity asked as they waited behind at least ten other people in the jam packed cafe. "What do you  _report_ on?"

"Current events, mostly, but sometimes I'll do some science related stories. That's when I'd call Barry and ask him to explain things to me. He's good at that, you know, explaining the science stuff that's far beyond my scope of knowledge. And he always answers when I call," Iris explained with a small smile and a faraway look.

"You two are close, aren't you?"

"Yeah, we pretty much grew up together." Iris paused for a moment, glancing around the coffee shop as if she didn't feel comfortable talking with so many people around. But she continued, saying, "After his mother's murder, Barry came to stay with us. My dad practically adopted him and raised him as his own. They used to spend weekends doing science experiments together. It was cute until Barry almost blew up the garage."

Felicity chuckled. She could almost see a twelve-year-old Barry Allen doing experiments in his foster family's garage. Her smile faded when Iris continued.

"I knew he would go into forensic science well before he did. His mother's murder and his father's trial… They had a really big impact on him. Barry just wasn't the same after it happened, but he was more determined. He still believes his dad is innocent even though there was overwhelming evidence against him. He kept saying he saw who did it, that it was a man in a skull mask, but nobody believed him."

"Did you believe him?" Felicity asked.

"Truthfully, I didn't know what to believe until after I became a reporter and I started to do some digging," Iris answered. "Apparently there were a lot of conflicting reports about what happened. All the neighbors said they heard something, but none of them could exactly tell any of the responding officers what it was, and then there was the blood evidence. Even my dad, who was working on the case at the time, didn't know about it until I discovered it a week ago. I was going to surprise Barry with this new evidence when I came up for his birthday since it's still being processed."

Felicity's head dropped. "Wow," she said. "This makes me feel even worse now."

"It's not like you could have known this would happen," Iris reiterated her earlier statement from the hospital room.

"But here's the thing," Felicity replied, knowing full well that what she was about to tell Iris could possibly get her into trouble with Oliver and Sara, but she just didn't care. Iris was proving to be an ally. There was nothing about her that remotely screamed danger, so Felicity just went for it. "I'm being stalked by someone I don't know. The reason I was talking to Barry the other night was because I needed his help figuring out who this person is. They've left me several creepy gifts on my doorstep and every single time it's happened, Barry was nice enough to help me out."

"Oh, my god!" Iris replied, the shock and horror evident on her face. "What exactly was Barry helping you with?"

"The latest gift was a necklace. I gave it to Barry so he could see if there was any DNA on it, but apparently the thief who beat him up took it and now I'm at a loss for what to do. My friends are all scared out of their minds for me, and all I can think about is what I could have done differently to prevent all this from happening," Felicity admitted as they stepped up to the front of the line.

"I want to help you," Iris offered after they put in their coffee order and paid for both their drinks even though Felicity protested.

"I can't ask that of you," the blonde replied. "I don't want to get anyone else involved. The police have already taken over the investigation."

"Hello! Detective's daughter! I know my way around a police station and I'm pretty sure I can get my dad to pull a few strings, too."

"Iris, it's too much. Really," Felicity insisted. "Det. Lance is doing everything he can, and considering his daughter is my friend, I'm pretty sure my stalker and Barry's attacker are at the top of his to-do list."

"If you need anything, please let me know," Iris replied as they grabbed their coffees and began making their way back to the hospital. "I mean it," she sincerely added, stopping them both as she took hold of Felicity's forearm and turned her around. "You've been good to Barry, good  _for_ Barry, and I just want to return the favor."

It gave Felicity pause, seeing the sincerity etched in the other woman's face. Iris West was as genuine as they came, and she couldn't help the watery smile that crawled onto her lips. "Okay," she finally agreed with a nod.

They spent the rest of the walk back to the hospital quietly sipping their respective coffees, and when they reached the hallway that led to Barry's room, Felicity spotted Oliver pacing the tiled floor, his phone pressed to his ear and a scowl present on his face. Her immediate reaction was to stride up to him and place a comforting hand against his forearm where it swung at his side, his fingers rubbing together in a telltale sign of frustration and exasperation. He looked down at her, his eyes still dark and his jaw clenched.

"Yeah, alright…" he said to the caller on the other line. "Just fucking deal with it. I'm done playing games with this guy. Add another fifty thousand to the contract per year and make it the final offer. I'm not going to negotiate anything more until he proves his worth. If he doesn't like it, then we'll find someone else." And with that, Oliver ended the call, slipping his phone back into the pocket of his dark green hoodie before focusing his attention on the woman standing in front of him.

"Everything okay?" Felicity asked as she gazed up at him.

"Yeah," he replied. "Palmer's being an ass about his contract. He keeps trying to negotiate a bigger salary, but I'm not exactly willing to pay up until he proves he's worth it. I don't really care how many magazines he's been in or how many degrees he has or how many grants he's earned."

"I trust your judgment," Felicity said as she squeezed his forearm, feeling the muscles tense before relaxing. "Although it makes me curious why I'm so special whereas he's not."

Oliver smiled down at her, a smile that only seemed to come out when she was around, and answered, "That's because you are. You've proved to me that you're capable of everything I need you to be, and that's why I've spared no expense when it comes to you. It's because you're worth it."

She couldn't help herself. A wide, warm smile lit up her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a short, chaste kiss to his lips. Felicity knew she was tempting fate by kissing him, but at that moment, she didn't care. It seemed as if Oliver had put his heart on his sleeve just for her, and honestly, it made her feel special knowing she had proved herself worthy of her position in his company and his life.

"Thank you," Felicity whispered before pulling away.

A clearing throat from behind them startled the pair apart. They jumped back from each other, the guilt written all over their faces as they both turned to see Iris standing at the door to Barry's room with her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes narrowed. "Not together, huh?" she asked, glaring at both of them.

"We're not…" Oliver started before Felicity placed a hand on his arm.

"Look, this is really new for us and we're trying to keep it a secret," she admitted because it was the truth. Technically, they were together, even if it was due to the contract, and they were trying to keep it a secret. Besides, being honest with Iris now would do them well in the long run.

This time it was Oliver who shot her a look, but Felicity simply nodded her head, letting him know it was okay, that she trusted Iris. "We'd really appreciate it if you kept this between us. We've already been through a lot and Oliver likes his privacy. He's not the person he used to be."

Iris dropped her glare and immediately softened her gaze. "I understand," she said. "Being a reporter, I can see why you wouldn't want to tell me. But just so you know, I'm not a gossip columnist. I care more about world events than people's love lives, so your secret's safe with me."

"Thank you, Iris," Felicity replied. "That means a lot to us."

"You're welcome," Iris said. "But that's not the reason I came out here. I found something on the table next to Barry's bed that I think you need to see."

Together, the three of them entered the room and Felicity's eyes immediately zeroed in on the large manilla envelope with her name on it in the same delicately terrifying script as the "gifts" her stalker had sent her. "Oliver," she said, her voice wavering as she grabbed his arm. He followed her as she stepped closer, grabbing hold of her hand as she reached out with a shaky fingers to take the envelope.

Just picking it up told her exactly what she'd find inside. The telltale rattling made her skin grow cold as her heart began to pound in her chest. She looked up at Oliver and asked, "How long have you been out of the room?"

"No more than a few minutes," he answered. "I got the call from the lawyers and went outside to talk to them, that was it."

"Did you see anyone come or go down the hall?" Felicity sounded almost frantic as she continued her questioning.

"Just a few doctors and nurses, no one sus...pic...ous…" She could see his mind working, replaying whatever details he'd missed during his phone call. Then Oliver grabbed the envelope from her and ripped it open. Out spilled the necklace Felicity thought she'd lost along with a small folded sheet of paper. He opened it and read the note, his jaw tightening to the point where she could see it start to tick.

"What is it?" Felicity asked as she held his hand tighter. Oliver shoved the note toward her.

Felicity's hands began to shake as she read what the big block letters said:

_I think you lost something. I found it for you. It wasn't easy because he put up a fight when I tried to take it back, but you have it now. Don't lose it again._

_XOXO_

_Your Secret Admirer_


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no desire to revisit the past. What happened, happened, and I don't want to talk about it anymore. I would appreciate it if people didn't ask. **I would also appreciate it if we steered clear of my current mental state in reviews. Thank you for all the well wishes and encouragement and solidarity. What I would like now is feedback on the story itself.**
> 
> I won't be replying to anymore of last chapter's comments, but I want everyone to know that I appreciated them. Thank you. Your support is incredible and I couldn't be more grateful to everyone who has read/commented/given kudos to this story.
> 
> I wanna take a minute to thank the person who helped me reestablish my equilibrium. I know for a fact that he's never going to read this, but knowing that he supports me in my desire to finish this story and someday publish it, really goes a long way.

The bile rose in Felicity's throat so quickly she barely had time to run into the bathroom. Moments later, the contents of her lunch spilled into the toilet bowl as she sank to her knees and continued throwing up until it was just dry heaves. Oliver had immediately followed, one arm wrapping around her waist as his free hand pulled back her hair, allowing her to puke without getting anything in her long, golden locks.

Soon after he flushed, her head came to rest against his shoulder as tears welled in her eyes. A wet paper towel dabbed her mouth clean before she buried her face in the crook of Oliver's neck as she cried, "He… He… He did this to Barry!" His arms tightened around her, pulling Felicity flush against his chest while she wailed, "And it's all because of me! It's my fault!"

Her sobs echoed through the small bathroom until she could cry no more. An hour must have passed because when Felicity turned around, she saw not only Iris standing in the doorway, but Sara and Det. Lance as well. They all stared at her in various expressions of pity and sympathy, but when she turned to Oliver, the steely determination she saw in his azure eyes was enough to pull her out of whatever hell she'd found herself in.

Cradling her face in his hands, he whispered, "This is  _not_ your fault. You did  _nothing_ to deserve this. We're going to do everything we can to find this bastard and put him away for life. You have my word."

Felicity wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight. Oliver was her safe haven in this shit storm, and when he moved to get up, she held on even tighter until he had no choice but to lift her up with him. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and he carried her back into Barry's room like a frightened child clinging to a parent. It wasn't until he set her down on the couch in the corner that she finally let go.

"Everything will be okay, baby girl," Sara cooed in her ear as she ran her hand up and down Felicity's back in a soothing motion. "My dad has the hospital's full cooperation and I'll have the security footage by the end of the day. I've also got two of my best bodyguards standing outside Barry's door until we catch this bastard. I promise you, we're doing everything we can to keep the two of you safe."

"Thank you," Felicity mumbled before wrapping her arms around the blonde and holding her tight.

Then she spotted Iris standing across the room, watching them thoughtfully, and stood up. She made her way toward the quiet outsider and immediately reached out, pulling her into a long, tight hug. "I'm so sorry," Felicity whispered. "This is all my fault. If I had just…"

"Shh," Iris shushed her. "No more of this self-blame, okay? Whoever this psycho stalker is, I know you and your friends will find him and bring him to justice. I just want you to do one thing for me."

"What's that?" Felicity asked as she pulled away.

"Let me punch him in the face when you find him," Iris answered.

For the first time in several hours, Felicity smiled. "Gladly," she said. They pulled away from each other to find Sara and Det. Lance standing behind them.

"My dad has a few questions for you," Sara said, then led Felicity out into the hall where Oliver and the detective were tensely standing, waiting for them.

As she passed through the door, Felicity noticed two figures on either side, a man and a woman. Both were dressed in black suits with white dress shirts and black silk ties, their faces stoic as their eyes darted up and down the hall searching for threats. Two of Sara's best bodyguards, Felicity realized. If Sara could trust them, then so would she. They were another line of defense against whoever had done this to her friend.

Sara stopped beside one of them, the woman with dark hair and an olive toned complexion with a mane of jet black hair and piercing brown eyes. They spoke in hushed tones, and of the words she caught, Felicity could only understand Barry's name. The rest were in a language she'd never heard before.

Every so often, Sara would brush her hand against the other woman's and smile, something Felicity found strange, but pushed out of her mind when she heard her father clear his throat. Her eyes immediately locked on his. "Miss Smoak, is this the necklace you were referring to the last time we spoke?" Det. Lance asked as he held up the evidence bag for her to see.

It was unmistakable: the shape, the size, the color. That was the same necklace that had fallen out of the other envelope two nights before. "Yeah, that's it," Felicity said, wiping away the tears that still clung to her lashes.

"Aside from the other night, when was the last time you saw it?" he questioned.

"Um… About a month ago, I was reorganizing my jewelry box so I could take the few important items to my safe deposit box. I remember taking it out and setting it on my table before putting it back once I had what I wanted in my purse," Felicity explained. "Before that, it was college."

"Did you receive the necklace in college, or did you have it before then?"

"Why is this relevant?"

"Because, Miss Smoak, we're dealing with a stalker, and anything has the potential to lead us to a suspect. So whatever small details I can get from this necklace might help us figure out who your stalker could be," Det. Lance reasoned.

Felicity let out a breath as she thought back to her college days trying to remember everything she could about that little piece of silver in his hands. Then, suddenly, it hit her. "Oh, my god," she squeaked, grabbing the bag out of his hand and studying the heart pendant inside. "This was a gift from my ex-boyfriend, Cooper. It was the first thing he ever gave me. I only wore it a few times before we decided to change our style and go goth."

Det. Lance eyed her for a long moment before he asked, "Is there a chance that your stalker might be your ex-boyfriend?"

"No," Felicity immediately replied. "There isn't. He's been in federal prison for the last five years and he's not scheduled to be paroled for another seven. They would tell me he got out before then, wouldn't they?" she asked, the desperation clear in her voice. Her eyes darted between Det. Lance, Sara, and Oliver, hoping one of them would give her an answer.

"Were you the victim?" Det. Lance replied. Felicity shook her head, already dreading where this conversation was going, and his deep sigh confirmed it. "Then no, they're not obligated to tell you anything."

Whatever semblance of normalcy Felicity had been clinging to slipped from her hands. The bag holding the necklace dropped to the floor as she felt her body began to go numb. If it hadn't been for Oliver's quick reflexes, she probably would have fallen right beside it. Her world was slowly falling apart, and it felt as if she couldn't do anything to stop it.

Feeling this helpless was something Felicity had never experienced before. In the past, she'd been able to pick herself up and dust herself off, but now, there was so much at stake: her job, her relationship with Sara and Oliver, Barry's life. She didn't know what to do anymore. It left her with a paralyzing fear, one that completely overloaded her mind to the point where she could barely function. Felicity didn't even register being lifted into Oliver's arms until her head fell to the crook of his neck and they began walking down the hall.

"She drove us here," he quietly told Sara as they made their way to the elevators.

"I'll drive her home. You take her car and follow me," she said once the doors dinged.

Silently, they made their way to the parking garage. The tension in the air was thick, permeated with the fear of the unknown they all suddenly felt. This stalker had not only managed to get under their skin, but also turned their lives upside down. And no one felt that more than Felicity. Her overwhelming guilt for keeping this a secret ate away at her now that she found out it had led to Barry's current comatose state. It was something she simply couldn't forgive herself for, at least not until either he woke up or her stalker was in custody.

Oliver stopped walking and when he turned to face Sara, Felicity could see they had arrived at midnight blue Range Rover. "Is Dig still meeting with us tonight?" he asked as the doors unlocked and Sara opened the passenger side.

"I already talked to him," she said. "He'll be waiting for us in the lobby."

As Oliver lowered her into the seat, his hand cupped her cheek, thumb rubbing along her cheekbone. "Hey, baby," he gently whispered. "I need your keys. Can you give them to me?" Felicity reached into the pocket of her hoodie and grabbed them, placing the keyfob in his outstretched palm. "Thank you," Oliver replied before leaning in to press a soft kiss to her lips.

When she didn't kiss back, he pulled away, staring at her for a moment with concern present in his azure eyes. Felicity realized just how much it hurt him to see her like that, but she couldn't bring herself to express anything aside from the numbness she felt all over. There was a big target on his back for just being associated with her, and she knew this stalker would do anything to get to her if he'd hurt Barry just to get the necklace back.

Maybe once they got home, Felicity thought, she'd ask to dissolve the contract. It was a desperate attempt to keep them safe, but she didn't see any other way around it. She'd grown to care for these two people. It didn't matter if they were strong on their own, her fear of seeing them hurt over her was something Felicity couldn't live with.

The car started moving suddenly, bringing her back to the present. Sara sat beside her in the driver's seat, her eyes focused on the road, but her hand reached out and took hold of Felicity's, twining their fingers together before it was brought into her lap. "We'll get him," Sara murmured. "I promise."

"You don't know that," Felicity replied, pulling her hand away and wrapping her arms around her body until she was sitting curled up against the door as far away from Sara as possible. "If it's Cooper, he won't hesitate to hurt anyone that gets in his way. And I don't think I could deal with either you or Oliver getting hurt, so maybe it's better to go our separate ways and let me deal with this myself."

"Felicity," she sighed, "Oliver and I won't let anything happen to you."

"But how?" Felicity asked. "You think a bodyguard is going to stop this guy? I seriously doubt that with the way things have happened so far. And I am not letting anyone else get hurt because of me!" she practically yelled as tears streamed down her face.

Sara pulled over, tires screeching to a halt on the side of the road. It jarred Felicity to the point where she nearly flew off the seat and straight into the dashboard, but her body remained cradled in the warm leather as Sara got out and rushed to her side of the car. The door was thrown open, a cold rush of air hitting Felicity's side before strong arms were wrapped around her.

"I don't care what you say," Sara rumbled in her ear, "You're not going anywhere. Oliver and I can, and will, protect you. So stop thinking that you're putting us in danger. We're already in danger being the CEO's of our own companies and that makes us just as much of a target as you are. So please, Felicity, listen to me when I say you're safer with us than without us. Okay?"

Sara let her go and brought her hands up to cup Felicity's face. Her thumbs brushed away the torrent of tears that streamed down her cheeks. Felicity could see the sincerity of her words reflected in her soft blue eyes. Sara meant every little thing she said. "Okay," Felicity finally mumbled.

A smile lit up Sara's face and she leaned into the car, pressing a firm kiss to Felicity's lips, a stark contrast from Oliver's kiss minutes earlier. "Let's go home," she said after pulling away. "We'll meet Dig, have a little dinner, then go to bed early." Felicity silently agreed with a nod.

As Sara backed away, she shook her head at Oliver in the car behind them before hopping back into the driver's seat and driving away. They made it to the penthouse ten minutes later, but this time, Felicity managed to stand on her own with some help from Sara, who had looped an arm around her waist and guided her inside. She still felt numb all over, but it was nothing like how she'd felt at the hospital.

In the corridor that led to the elevator, they met up with Oliver and another man about his height with dark skin and dressed impeccably in a black suit. He had striking features, but what stuck out most in Felicity's mind were his arms. They were the size of bowling balls, something she must have said out loud judging by the open mouthed stares she was getting from everyone standing beside her.

"Just… ignore me… please," Felicity muttered as she turned a bright shade of red. Of course her mouth would be the only thing that seemed to function after a day like today.

"Felicity Smoak, meet my best bodyguard, John Diggle," Sara introduced, pushing past the verbal gaffe as Oliver swiped his keycard and called up the elevator.

Felicity could see why he was one of Sara's best. She thought for a moment he'd be the strong, silent type that simply followed her around without uttering a word, but he quickly changed her mind.

"Miss Smoak, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. Sara's told me nothing but good things," he said, extending one of his gigantic hands that completely enveloped hers as they shook. The warm smile on his face and the fact that he'd ignored all her unintentional word vomit instantly put her at ease.

"I hope she also mentioned I have a habit of making an ass out of myself," Felicity mumbled as Oliver ushered them into the elevator.

"You're not the first, and probably won't be the last, either," Diggle chuckled. He had a warm, deep laugh that immediately put a smile on her face.

"Good to know," she replied.

The elevator came to a stop and the doors opened to the penthouse. They filed out one by one as Sara led them into the dining room, then she motioned for them to take a seat around the black oval shaped table. "Let's get down to business, shall we?" she said, taking a seat beside Felicity as Oliver sat on her other side and Diggle rounded out the table across from the trio.

"So, what exactly is going on, Miss Smoak?" Diggle asked, getting right down to the pertinent questions without wasting any time.

"Please, call me Felicity," she replied, "and what's going on is: I have a stalker. A very violent and crazy stalker whose name I don't even know yet, but he's already assaulted my friend and put him in the hospital and I'm terrified that he's going to hurt more people if someone doesn't figure out who he is and stops him." Felicity could feel both Oliver and Sara reach over, their hands falling on top of hers. She didn't realize she was breathing so fast and her heart was pounding until she stopped talking. That's when the blood rushed to her ears, drowning out almost everything thing except for the rapid beat of her heart.

"Breathe, Felicity," Oliver whispered against her ear before he pressed a kiss to her temple. She closed her eyes and relaxed into him, following the rise and fall of his chest until she matched it with her own.

"I'm sorry," Felicity said weakly as she opened her eyes again and saw them all staring at her. She felt so small and so helpless amid these three strong people in front of her that her instinct was to curl in on herself. She felt Oliver's arm wrap around her waist and pull her against his side, and found herself immediately relax knowing he was there.

"Don't apologize," Diggle replied, giving her another warm smile that continued to put her at ease. "I know this isn't easy for you. Sara and I have done this rodeo many, many times. There isn't anything we won't do in order to keep you safe."

"How long have you two known each other?" Felicity asked.

"My third tour in Iraq, her second. She saved my ass from a sniper. Took a bullet to the shoulder," he explained. "Returned the favor a few months later when she got captured. I was the only one willing to go get her."

It all clicked then. "You're the CO," she thoughtfully replied, recalling the conversation she and Sara had had on the jet nearly a month ago.

"Yep, I'm the CO," Diggle said with a nod.

They shared a momentary look of understanding before Felicity continued questioning him. "So, how is this going to work? Are you going to follow me everywhere I go or just to and from work?"

"Oliver voiced some concerns about shadowing you at work, so we'll just keep it to your drive there and back. By the way, I'll be personally driving you from now on unless you're with Sara or Oliver. If you need to go anywhere other than work, I'll be with you, making sure you're safe. But this no way means I'm your personal butler," Diggle informed.

"Oh, god, no! I'd never do that to anyone," Felicity interrupted. "I don't expect anything from you aside from personal protection. I won't ask you to run out to the store for me at three in the morning because I need ice cream or something stupid like that. Although, I'm guessing you'd probably go with me if I did need to pick something up."

"Still very independent, I see," he replied.

"I might be terrified of this psycho, whoever he is, but that doesn't mean I won't keep living my life," she defiantly answered. And there was the spark of old Felicity returning. Knowing someone had her back put her even more at ease with the situation. She didn't realize having a bodyguard would finally lift some of the burden from her shoulders until she met Diggle. He was definitely not anything like she expected him to be, and that's what turned everything around.

"Good," he said. "Anymore questions?"

"Yeah," Felicity replied. "What do you want me to call you?"

"Diggle is fine, but my friends call me Dig."

"Dig," she said. "Cool."

After a few more pressing matters like signatures and paperwork were taken care of, they said their goodbyes and Dig headed home to his family. Dinner was a quiet affair with boxed mac and cheese, tomato soup from a can, and a good bottle of wine topped off with a healthy serving of mint chip ice cream. Felicity had made it all herself, insisting she needed to do something in order to make her feel slightly normal. Both Oliver and Sara sat back as she cooked for them.

Although it wasn't exactly the five star meal they were used to, this was what Felicity had known for most of her life, and during her worst days, turning to her favorite comfort foods would usually make her feel better. And when they were done, it was Oliver who cleaned up while Sara grabbed several large pillows from the bedroom and stacked them on the couches in the living room. Together, they watched several episodes of Felicity's favorite sitcom before she started to drift off.

Again, she found herself in Oliver's arms as he carried her into the bedroom. Her glasses came off first after he had set her down. They were placed on the nightstand next to his side of the bed before he returned and took hold of the hem of her hoodie. It was gently pulled over her head along with the t-shirt underneath and left to drop to the floor at their feet. Felicity then kicked off her shoes, allowing him to slip her sweatpants off her hips. They pooled around her ankles, leaving her completely bare in front of him.

Oliver's hands found their way into her hair, pulling out the black elastic band that held it up. The soft, golden strands fell around her shoulders and for the first time in a long time, Felicity felt like she could take a deep breath without feeling as if the world was crashing down around her. Standing there, face to face with Oliver, she felt safe.

As his shirt fell to the floor at his feet, Felicity stepped closer to him, tentatively wrapping her arms around his waist. He tensed for a moment, then relaxed when her head came to rest against his chest, her ear pressed to the skin above his heart. Sighing, she closed her eyes and felt his arms band around her shoulders until she was completely enveloped by them. They held her as close as physically possible as they stood there for several quiet moments just listening to each other's breathing.

Felicity felt her body relax, the buzz in her mind fading out as she listened to the rhythmic beats of Oliver's heart beneath her ear. There was no greater comfort than this, she thought before the bedroom door was kicked open and Sara walked in holding a stack of pillows in her arms. They flew apart almost immediately, hoping she hadn't seen the tender moment they'd shared without her.

They still hadn't discussed what had happened that day in her car. It was a conversation Felicity dreaded because she knew what the possible outcomes of falling for her Dom could be. For one, it would ruin Oliver's relationship with Sara, one he was still trying his hardest to fix. Second, it would probably put their own budding relationship at risk if they fell too hard, too fast. And finally, it could have devastating consequences for her future. She never wanted to be the other woman, but for some reason, it felt like she already was.

The only thing that kept Felicity going was the fact that she could already see the rift between Sara and Oliver was one that couldn't be repaired, no matter how hard they tried. She had only seen Sara kiss him once in the past week, and before that, it was her lack of reciprocating his love that had Felicity concerned. She was distancing herself from him, an indicator, at least to Felicity, that she was getting ready to flee.

And it broke her heart because she knew how much Oliver loved her, how much he'd sacrificed for her. But he was in no way an innocent party in this. He, too, was drifting away from Sara judging from what happened in the car after lunch. The emotions Felicity had seen swirling in his azure eyes were indicative of someone on the verge of walking away from something that no longer held his interest and moving towards something that might finally bring him the happiness he was so desperately sought.

Felicity didn't want to dissolution herself, though. There had been previous clients that had "fallen" for her. And just like Oliver, they were chasing happiness they couldn't seem to find with anyone. She hoped against all hope that maybe this was the one time she'd get her happy ending, but Felicity was a realist. She knew the odds weren't in her favor and planned accordingly. That was the whole purpose of the contract, after all.

Sara was setting the pillows back down on the bed when Felicity turned to slide into the cool gray and yellow sheets on her stomach. It was far easier and less taxing on her already frazzled nerves to just get into bed than trying to figure out what the future held for her. Beside her, Oliver's weight dipped the mattress before he settled in.

"How does your back feel?" Oliver asked as he nestled in beside her.

For the first time since that morning, Felicity realized she hadn't felt anything up until he mentioned it. There was still a dull ache that ran from the tops of her thighs to just above the curve of her ass, one she'd been ignoring all day. But now, as she lay there beside him, the dull throb turned into an intense ache with every slight movement she made. "Not so good," Felicity hissed as she tried to scoot closer to her pillow.

"Sara!" he called out.

"Yeah?" she yelled back from the bathroom.

"Can you grab the body lotion?" Oliver asked. "Felicity's back hurts."

A few moments later, the other side of the bed dipped with Sara's weight. "Oh, my god!" she gasped, her cool hand coming to rest against Felicity's hip. "That's a lot worse than I expected." Leaning down, Sara pressed a kiss to her shoulder before whispering, "I'm so sorry, baby girl. How about I make you feel better?" The cream was gently applied to her bottom and the backs of her thighs, allowing her skin to stretch with a little more ease and preventing the pain from becoming worse.

"I know it isn't much, but that should help. You're going to be sore for a little while, but it'll feel more like a really good workout at the gym than anything else," Sara assured her. "Get some rest, baby girl," she added as she pressed a kiss to Felicity's forehead before hopping out of bed and into the bathroom to wash her hands.

"Good night," Oliver whispered, his hand falling against the small of her back.

"Good night," Felicity whispered back with a smile as she scooted closer, until her shoulder was pressed against his chest and he could wrap his arm around the width of her back.

Sara returned a moment later, her body coming to rest against Felicity's other side. She turned off the lights and brought the duvet up to cover them before one more kiss was pressed to Felicity's shoulder. "Good night, baby girl," she murmured before falling asleep.


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **WARNING: This chapter is violent and graphic in nature. It contains scenes that are not suitable for those who don't like graphic depictions of violence. Read at your own risk. You have been warned.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE: I would also appreciate it if we steered clear of my current mental state in reviews. Thank you for all the well wishes and encouragement and solidarity. What I would like now is feedback on the story itself.**
> 
> I've been ignoring everyone who's mentioned this because I'm still uncomfortable talking about it. I don't want my mental health to be a topic of discussion anymore going forward with this story. I'd rather have people focus on the writing and the characters, not how I'm feeling or what's going on with me. I'd rather just gloss over it and forget it even happened because it's such a dark moment, and I really don't like dwelling on it.

Sleep evaded Felicity that night. No matter how hard she tried, her mind refused to turn off. So many revelations had been made that day, and the one that stuck out the most was the possibility of Cooper being let out of prison early. It worried her to think of the consequences if he had been released. Maybe this stalking bit was to throw her off. Whatever the case, it didn't sit well.

After hours of restlessness, Felicity finally gave up and got out of bed. Ever so gently she moved Oliver's arm off her shoulder, tucking it against his chest before shimmying down the mattress. With utmost care, she opened the door and padded out into the hallway, carefully shutting it behind her. The rest of the penthouse was steeped in darkness. Only the light of the half moon streaming in from the large windows guided her down the hall to the guest room where all her stuff had been unpacked.

Grabbing her laptop and the blanket from off the bed, Felicity decided to set up shop in the living room where she had more space to work. Besides, the couches were rather comfortable, especially while sitting on her sore backside for long periods of time. Wrapped in the blanket and settled on the couch closest to the window, she booted up her laptop and began scouring the web for information related to Cooper's release.

Felicity found none, even after three unsuccessful hours of searching. It was as if he'd disappeared off the map. She then began checking prison records related to his case. In the past eight years, he'd been bounced around from one place to another. Cooper started his sentence at a maximum security prison outside of Boston before being shipped off to a medium security prison in upstate New York, then finally ended up at USP Lewisburg in central Pennsylvania, a minimum security prison for white collar crimes.

Prison records indicated that Cooper was still currently serving out his sentence there, but the date on the file she'd managed to access was from the spring of this year. A lot could have happened in the nine months that followed, but without any information to go on, Felicity was stuck in a rut. So she tried something else.

A search through Cooper's family's phone records revealed a few sporadic phone calls made from the prison to their residence outside New York City. The last one had been in March, about the same time as the prison record was updated, and judging from its short duration, there wasn't really much information to tease out from it. There were no other calls on record, either, meaning those were a dead end.

Felicity sighed. It seemed as if everything was working against her this week. She set the laptop down beside her and rubbed her eyes with her hands. A glance out the window showed that it was nearing dawn. The sky had turned inky shades of blue and purple and the stars were slowly disappearing from view.

"Can't sleep?"

Sara's voice startled Felicity and she nearly jumped off the couch before her hand flew to her chest. Taking deep, steadying breaths, she nodded her head. "Yeah. There's a lot on in here," she replied, waving her other hand around her head.

"Sorry I scared you," Sara said as she flopped down on the couch beside the laptop. "So, what have you been up to all night?" she asked, snatching the device off the leather cushion and staring at the screen in front of her. A half smile lifted the corner of her mouth. "I figured you'd be trying to find where your ex is. Any luck?"

"None whatsoever," Felicity grumbled. She took the laptop from Sara and shut the lid, unable to stare at her failure any longer. It was placed on the coffee table as she drew the blanket around her even tighter.

Beside her, Sara scooted closer until they were hip to hip. Her arm wrapped around Felicity's shoulders, pulling her head down so it came to rest against her bare chest. "You'll find him," she murmured, pressing her lips to Felicity's forehead. "And if you don't, I will."

Felicity pulled her arm out from under the blanket and banded it around Sara's waist. "I'm glad someone's more optimistic than me for once," she mumbled. "Any luck with the security tapes?"

"Not yet, but I've got my people working on them," Sara said. "And don't worry, they're very good at their jobs." When Felicity remained slumped over on her side of the couch, she added, "I know it's tough, keeping your chin up even when it seems like the world is against you." She gazed down at Felicity, blue eyes shining by the light of the moon, and smiled. "But you need to have a little faith sometimes. Whoever your stalker is, he'll slip up, and that's when we'll catch him. Right now, though, you look like you need a little stress relief."

Before Felicity could ask what she meant, Sara had already captured her lips in a soft, languid kiss. A moan escaped her throat, low and almost inaudible, but Sara easily caught it with her mouth, swallowing down the noise before it echoed through the room. Her hand slipped beneath the blanket surrounding Felicity's body, trailing from her neck until it reached the gentle swell of her breast. It latched on there, cupping the soft mound until her fingers closed around the nipple.

Felicity was still sensitive from the previous night's activities, and every little touch was heightened by her suddenly aroused state. It seemed like Sara had that effect on her. Whenever her mouth pressed to Felicity's skin, it was like lighting a match and watching it burn through her veins. Images from a night in the not so distant past popped into her head: their first encounter, one she would never forget.

Sara had been so gentle and so careful with her. The way her hands had glided over Felicity's skin, the way her lips traveled along pathways never explored before. It forced another moan from her throat as Sara's hand let go of her nipple and trekked lower, over her abdomen and down to the little triangle of hair that covered her mound. She raked her nails over it, sending little jolts of pleasure through Felicity's body, making her silently beg for more as she reached up and grabbed hold of her lover's long, platinum locks.

"Fuck!" Felicity breathlessly squeaked when those maddening fingers dipped lower, between her thighs and along her moistening slit, and stroking her outer lips with the gentlest of touches.

"You like that, baby girl?" Sara asked as she continued her torturous ministrations, her fingers gliding up and down her hot, wet folds without giving her any relief.

"Yes, Mistress," Felicity keened, her eyes squeezing shut as Sara's other hand trailed down her arm to fondle her neglected breasts. Deft fingers danced across her skin, plucking one nipple and quickly releasing, then doing the same to the other until they had become pebble hard and ached for more. "Please, Mistress," she begged. "I… I need…"

Before Felicity could finish her sentence, the fingers playing across her pussy dipped between the saturated folds and plunged straight into her hot core. She cried out, but was silenced by Sara's lips in an attempt not to disturb Oliver from his slumber. The demanding kiss served to drown out Felicity's moans while turning her on even more. And she craved more. Not only did she want Sara pleasuring her, Felicity wanted to return the favor.

It took a Herculean effort, but somehow she managed to pry Sara off her body. The glare she got from her partner was quickly replaced with curiosity as Felicity straddled her hips so she was now in her lap, face to face with the woman who had already given her so much pleasure. "Let me please you, Mistress," Felicity murmured against her ear as her hands stroked up and down Sara's sides. "I want to make you come," she continued. "I want to play with your tits and suck your clit until you scream, just like you've done to me so many times already. Let me return the favor just this once."

To emphasize her point, Felicity's hands came to rest over Sara's breasts, gently kneading them until the other woman moaned in response. She pinched her nipples then, eliciting a sharp cry that forced Sara's hips to buck against her own. "Fuck yeah," Sara moaned. "Be my little slut. Put that dirty tongue between my legs and don't stop until I tell you."

Felicity beamed at her before doing as she was told. She slid down Sara's thighs until her knees hit the floor, all the while trailing a line of wet kisses from between her breasts, over the tight muscles of her stomach, until she finally reached her hairless mound. Felicity licked a long, slow stripe from tip to tail, pausing for a moment to swirl around Sara's puckered ass before running back up until her tongue was pressed against her clit.

Sara squirmed beneath her, making soft whining noises as her fingers latched onto Felicity's hair, pulling and stroking through the long, golden strands as she guided her head where she wanted it. Compliance was key, and Felicity excelled at listening to her partner's body language, reading the cues with ease. Right now, Sara wanted her tongue and mouth on her clit, licking and stroking the little bud until her thighs began to shake.

"Ooh, fuck! Just like that, baby girl!" she moaned, grinding her hips against Felicity's face, desperate for more friction. Her eyes flicked up to the woman above her, watching her as she moaned and writhed in pleasure. With her hands on Sara's breasts roughly tugging each nipple until it was rock hard beneath her palms, Felicity couldn't help but get a little carried away. It had been a while since she'd properly pleased a woman, and she decided to take her time working Sara into a frenzy.

With slow practiced licks, her tongue lashed at the little bundle of nerves before swirling around it and moving away, lower, down into the depths of her sopping cunt. It dipped inside, licking away the juices that pooled at Sara's entrance before going as deep as possible then pulling out again and starting the slow process of returning to her clit. One of Felicity's hands pulled away from her breasts, fingers tracing down overly sensitive flesh until they skimmed her mound.

Without warning, two plunged into Sara's pussy, and she threw her arm over her mouth, screaming into it to muffle the sound. A satisfied smile crawled over Felicity's lips as she pumped her fingers in and out, curving them up until she found what she was looking for. Another muffled scream escaped Sara's throat when she hit her g-spot. Felicity pummeled it relentlessly as Sara's hips bucked up off the couch. Her juices flowed freely down her arm, but Felicity didn't dare move her mouth away from her clit.

She was determined to give Sara one of the best orgasms she'd ever experienced, and judging by the way her body jerked and swayed, Felicity knew she was almost there. Her fingers didn't stop their relentless stroking of Sara's clenching walls while her lips and teeth and tongue teased her clit, sucking, licking, biting the little nub while her other hand continued to pluck her nipples. Unintelligible sounds escaped her lips as her nails sank into Felicity's scalp, holding her down, forcing her to go harder, faster.

Each lick of her tongue served to draw out another moan from her partner, and as Felicity gazed up, she could see just how far gone Sara was. Her eyes squeezed shut as the fingers of her free hand raked through her platinum hair, grasping large clumps as she bit her lips. At that point, Felicity was pounding into her with everything she had. Her arm began to cramp, but she continued, fingers roughly stroking her g-spot as she rolled her clit between her teeth.

"Oh! Oh, god! Oh, god!" Sara cried out. She was so close. Felicity could feel it in the way her muscles clenched around her fingers, in the way her juices dripped in an almost constant stream from her pussy. She wanted to move her tongue down, to lap at them, suck them off her skin, but Felicity restrained herself. Instead, she focused on Sara's clit, alternating between sucking and biting the sensitive bud until she was on the very edge of sanity.

Just a few more strokes and she'd be there, falling over it in a rush. But then Sara said, "Oh, fuck! Nyssa!" and everything came crashing to a halt.

Felicity stopped immediately upon hearing the strange name that spilled from her partner's lips while Sara jerked up, realizing a little too late what she'd said as she stared down at her lover, wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

"Oh, my god," Felicity whispered as she sat back on her heels. "Everything just became so unbelievably clear." It didn't take much for her to put two and two together: the late nights, the distance between Sara and Oliver, her inability to reciprocate his love. Sara was seeing someone else behind his back and it broke Felicity's heart.

"I… I… I can explain," she stuttered.

"What's there to explain?" Felicity shot back, crossing her arms over her chest. She wasn't having any of this, not when Oliver was just a few rooms away, blissfully ignorant of what his supposed girlfriend had done to him. He'd been trying so hard to change his ways, to prove he was worth loving, and yet Sara had done exactly what he'd done to Laurel. Some would say it was karma coming back to bit him in the ass, but he did  _not_ deserve it, not after what Felicity had seen. "You just screamed another woman's name while I fucked you."

Sara looked absolutely terrified. She didn't move from her spot on the couch, just stared at Felicity as she waited for an explanation. A range of emotions crossed her face: shock, guilt, embarrassment, understanding. The one that finally settled over her features was anger. "You better not tell Oliver," Sara snarled, taking Felicity by surprise.

"The last time I kept a secret, I was beaten with a cane and I still can't sit down like a normal person," she retorted, not giving in to whatever game Sara was trying to play against her. "I can't lie to Oliver, and neither should you! You've been together for two years now and he loves you very much. He's been trying so hard to make things work out between the two of you, but now I can see why he's been failing. If you're seeing someone behind his back, don't drag this out any longer because you'll just end up hurting him worse."

"Don't you dare give me this bullshit!" Sara lashed out.

But Felicity wasn't letting her win this round. "No," she said. "I'm giving you honesty, just like we established after we signed the contract. I promised to be honest with you and Oliver, so I figured it worked both ways."

"No, it doesn't have to work both ways," Sara hissed, her eyes narrowing as she leaned forward, invading Felicity's personal space. "You're  _my_ sub, and when I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it! Therefore, you are  _not_ telling Oliver about this."

"I will  _not_ lie for you, Sara!"

"It's  _Mistress_ ," she seethed, grabbing Felicity by the nape of the neck and pulling her forward until they were nose to nose. "And you're asking for a beating, aren't you,  _slut_? Disobeying a direct order… The consequences for something like that:  _severe_."

Her eyes widened as her mouth dropped open. Suddenly, Helena's warning came rushing back to her.  _"...Sara Lance. She's the one I'd be very careful around… Because she can snap your neck like a twig."_  Felicity now understood what she meant. She had just stepped into dangerous territory, and there was no going back.

Sara was pissed. Felicity could see it in her eyes. She'd struck a nerve that morning and now the situation had turned against her. Fear crept up Felicity's spine as Sara dragged her up by her hair and pulled her away from the couch toward the hallway. She knew where they were headed: the dungeon.

"No, Mistress, please!" Felicity begged as Sara continued to drag her down the hall. "Please don't do this!" Felicity struggled against her hold for a moment before she suddenly remembered… "Red!" she nearly shouted, hoping the safe word they had established in the contract would put an end to this before it got out of hand.

"Shut up!" Sara snapped as she backhanded Felicity across the face, knocking her to the ground. She punched in her security code then grabbed the door handle and threw it open.

Felicity was shoved to the floor inside, skidding on her knees until she came to a stop in the center of the cold black marble. Terrified and shaking, she watched as Sara snatched the ball gag from off a table against the wall to her right and returned, grabbing her hair and forcing her to look up. Felicity cried out in pain, but was quickly silenced when the gag was shoved into her mouth. Sara strapped it tightly around her head before pulling her up by her hair once again.

Tears stung Felicity's eyes as she was dragged under the suspension frame. Then Sara got to work tying her up with her arms spread to opposite corners and her legs cuffed together. She was lifted several inches off the ground and dangled there until Sara grabbed a gunmetal chain flogger. It looked like a medieval flail, minus the spiked ball at the end. Eight heavy chains hung from the leather handle with thinner lengths of chain attached to their ends.

Full blown panic set in as Felicity watched her circling like a predator circled its prey. Her heart raced in her chest as each breath became shallower and shallower. Even if she screamed, no one would hear her. The room was soundproof. Oliver could wake up and go about his morning routine none the wiser to what his girlfriend was doing just down the hall. Tears slid down Felicity's cheeks as she begged Sara not to do it.

"Red! Red! Red!" she kept crying behind the gag, but Sara wasn't listening. It was as if she had completely shut Felicity's voice out.

The first blow came hard and heavy right down the center of her back. Pain seared through her so quickly she jerked forward from the impact with a muffled cry. Each metal strand, Felicity realized, had sharp, jagged edges that tore into her flesh while simultaneously bruising in the pattern which it struck her. She screamed behind the gag as several more strokes landed on her still painful bottom and thighs.

"That's what you get for disobeying me!" Sara yelled, throwing her arm back and striking Felicity across the shoulders with full force. "I told you, when I ask you to jump, you ask me how high! You don't ask me why or tell me no!"

Another crack, another muffled cry escaped Felicity's gagged mouth. The pain had become overwhelming. It didn't matter where Sara hit her, it radiated through every cell, every nerve ending in her body, shaking her to the core. She didn't know how long the beating lasted, just that it felt like eternity of searing pain with no sign of stopping. Felicity was on the verge of blacking out as Sara moved to her stomach and breasts, hitting them with unrestrained force. She continued to scream behind the gag, her voice becoming hoarse as her eyes lost focus.

Suddenly the door slammed open and a bellowed, " ** _ENOUGH_**!" rang through the room, stopping Sara mid strike. Both her head and Felicity's shot up to find Oliver looming in the doorway, anger and outrage clear in his azure eyes. He rushed up to Sara, grabbing the flogger and throwing it to the ground before pushing her away from Felicity's dangling body.

"You, outside, right now!" Oliver ordered, pointing to the door. They stared at each other for several tense moments. Sara refused to back down, though, breathing hard and heavy as she glared at him with all the anger that seemed to have finally burst through whatever faulty damn she'd tried to construct around it. But it wasn't until he grabbed her by the back of the neck and forcibly shoved her toward the door that she finally moved. An angry huff left her lips as she stomped away, slamming it behind her.

He quickly went to work lowering Felicity from where she was suspended and released her from the bindings. The ball gag came first, followed by the cuffs around her ankles and then the ones around her wrists. Once free, she threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest.

"It's okay, baby," Oliver whispered into her ear as one of his hands cradled the back of her head while the other wrapped around her waist and pulled her into his lap. "I'm right here. You're safe now," he murmured, rocking Felicity back and forth as she wept for what seemed like hours. He didn't move, didn't let her go. They remained on the floor, wrapped up in each other as she allowed him to soothe away her fears with his hands and his lips.

"What happened, baby?" Oliver asked, cupping her face and wiping away her tears with his thumbs. "Why did Sara do this to you?" More tears streamed down Felicity's cheeks as her eyes flicked away from his. She shook her head, refusing to speak. "Please, tell me," he softly demanded, thumbs continuing to brush beneath her eyes, wiping away the moisture that gathered there.

"You need to ask her," Felicity mumbled.

"Okay," Oliver replied, not pushing it. Instead, he wrapped his arms tighter around her body, intent on picking her up and carrying her out of the room, but Felicity cried out in pain. "I'm sorry," he quickly apologized, loosening his grip as he pulled away to survey the damage Sara had inflicted.

"Oh, god," Oliver gasped. His eyes roamed over her torso, widening with every bruise he saw until they could grow no wider. "I'm so sorry, baby," he apologized again, and this time Felicity could hear the waver in his voice. She was in bad shape, which she already figured, but to see the way Oliver stared at her with shock and pity, that's when she knew Sara had crossed the line.

Standing up, Oliver gently slipped his arms beneath her shoulders and lifted her to her feet. "Hold onto me tight," he whispered. Felicity nodded, tightening her hold around his neck as he slowly slid his hands beneath her bruised thighs and lifted her up. She hissed in pain, her nails digging into his shoulders. "I'm sorry," Oliver apologized over and over again as he walked them back to the master bedroom.

Upon spotting Sara sitting at the foot of the bed, his eyes narrowed and he hissed, "Get out."

"Ollie…"

She stood up, moving closer to them, but stopped when he growled, "I said: Get. Out."

"Ollie, please!" She sounded desperate, but he was having none of it.

"What part of 'Get out' don't you under- _fucking_ -stand, Sara?" he finally yelled out of exasperation.

Felicity cowered into him, never having heard that tone in his voice. It scared her to think what it would be like on the receiving end of his anger. She thought she'd heard it a few days earlier, after Barry ended up in the hospital, but it was nothing like this. Oliver was practically seething, vibrating with rage as he stared at Sara. Felicity could feel the tension crackling between them, but then Sara turned and silently walked out of the room, leaving her and Oliver alone.

He continued walking until they were inside the shower stall in the bathroom. Instead of turning on the water, Oliver chose the steam option. Within moments, they were surrounded by warm, moist air. Felicity slid to her feet, but refused to step away from him. Her arms remained securely wrapped around his neck, holding onto him tight as his hands came to rest on her hips.

"Are you okay?" Oliver whispered, his gentle tone betraying the anger she'd heard just moments earlier.

Felicity shook her head. "No," she whimpered, burying her face against his chest.

On the verge of tears yet again, she felt one of his hands reach up to cup the back of her head as the other slid around her waist and came to rest at the small of her back, careful not to put any pressure against the bruise that had formed there. "When you're ready to talk, I'll be right here," he replied.

They stood there for a while, holding each other, Felicity's face pressed against Oliver's chest as his hand stroked through her damp hair. She took solace in his embrace, forcing the pain out of her mind by focusing on his gentle touch until her body finally relaxed. That was when he turned on the water, allowing it to rain down over their bodies. As Felicity stared down at her feet, she could see the rivulets of blood that swirled into the drain. Her arms tightened around Oliver, tears falling unbidden.

This was the type of thing she feared most being the sub in a relationship: having her Mistress abuse her trust the way Sara had. Although it had only happened once before, there was nothing more terrifying than feeling defenseless against the person inflicting her pain. Felicity began to shake, her body shutting down as she tried to come to terms with Sara's complete disregard for her safety and the sanctity of the contract. But she couldn't. This was beyond comprehension, beyond the scope of what she'd signed up for.

Even with Oliver holding her, whispering that she was safe now, that he wouldn't let anyone hurt her again, Felicity didn't feel safe. She felt alone, helpless,  _used_. The world had turned against her, and she had no place to go. Even her apartment, which was once a safe haven, was no longer a place she could run to. It was compromised, just like Oliver's penthouse. She wanted to get away, be alone for a little while, but there was nowhere to go.

And Oliver, bless his heart, he was trying his best to make her feel better. His hands had moved to washing her hair, massaging shampoo then conditioner into the long golden strands before rinsing it away. But when he tried to pull back to wash the rest of her body with soap, Felicity instinctively moved with him, refusing to let go. Somewhere deep in her subconscious, she recognized  _his_ presence meant safety.

And that's what she clung to.  _Oliver_ was her safe haven. He had always been there for her, guiding her, caring for her in ways no one else ever had. In one month he'd managed to wiggle his way into her life and into her heart unlike anyone she had ever met. Although it should have scared her, Felicity didn't feel frightened by this revelation. These feelings had been there all along, simmering beneath the surface, only now she chose to embrace them, to embrace  _him_. And that was exactly what she did.

Turning her head, Felicity pressed a soft kiss to the junction where his collarbone met his neck. She felt his hands freeze as Oliver carefully tilted his head back and stared down at her with puzzled azure eyes. She gave him a weak smile before leaning back into him and whispering, "Don't let me go."

"I won't," he quietly replied, hugging her a little tighter.

This time, Felicity pulled away and gazed up at him. "Promise me," she pleaded.

Oliver cupped her face with his hands and, with conviction, answered, "I promise."


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I want to apologize for not getting to the review replies this week. It's been extremely busy at work and with my side jobs, not to mention the fact that I've just made a huge, life changing decision that may or may not have major repercussions today at work. I'm giving my two weeks once my bosses get here, and I'm not sure how they're going to handle it. So I've been pretty distracted with that as well. 
> 
> Second, thank you for all the (mostly) positive feedback I got for the last chapter. That was definitely the second most difficult one I had to write and post, and so far the most difficult one I've had you read. It wasn't for the faint of heart, that's for sure, and may of you powered through it, and for that I am immensely grateful. There were some people who griped about Sara's character and the way I've written her in this fic. There's a reason for it, one that I didn't explain in the chapter where she and Felicity had some time alone. It's one that I plan to explore in part 2 because it has some bearing on what happens to Felicity later. To answer the big question that almost everyone's had on their mind, Nyssa won't make an appearance in this story, but she will be heavily mentioned in the next chapter. There is going to be a big shift coming up for all the characters, one that will have consequences going down the road.
> 
> Also, a few people were angry that I hadn't written in the proper warnings for the last chapter. I said that it was going to be violent and graphic... I don't really know what more I could have added. Yes, there was character divergence and canon divergence, but, for real, what kinda warning did you want me to give? I know how to warn for chapter 27, but this one was a little more difficult. I did what I could with what I had.
> 
> Finally... Thanks again for sticking with this story. It's been a wild ride, that's for sure. I'm grateful for each and everyone one of you that has stuck with it from the beginning to now.

Oliver brought her to the guest room instead of the master bedroom once they'd finished their shower. Relief spread through Felicity. She didn't think she could handle being in the bed she'd shared with Sara after everything that had happened that morning. Her thoughts shifted when he began to pat her body dry. His careful hands ever so gently wiped away the remaining moisture from her skin before nodding his head towards the bed.

"Lie down," Oliver said. "I'm going to grab the first aid kit and I'll be right back."

Felicity eased herself into the cool sheets on her stomach, only stopping when her head hit the pillow. Her mind felt like a war zone, filled with hazardous thoughts that would either lead her into crippling fear or a full mental breakdown. She hated being left alone in such difficult times even if she knew Oliver would be back soon. The need for his comforting presence was overwhelming, and when he finally stepped through the door a few minutes later, dressed in grey sweats and a holding the first aid kit, she couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped her lungs.

"Hey, I'm right here," he said, seeing her eyes fill with tears. He reached out, his fingers stopping only when they brushed against her cheek. Felicity placed her hand on top of his, holding it firmly in place where it landed near her temple. "It's okay, baby," Oliver reassured her. "I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere." The warmth of his smile allowed her to relax somewhat and let go of his hand.

Nodding, she wrapped her arms around her pillow then buried her face in it as he went to work cleaning and disinfecting the cuts Sara had inflicted with the flogger. Felicity had gotten a glimpse of them in the mirror and had immediately flinched. Leaving marks that would scar her skin had been one of her hard limits. She hissed and groaned in pain as Oliver dabbed hydrogen peroxide over the open wounds until they were properly cleaned.

"I'm going to give you a local anesthetic then sew up some of cuts that need stitches," he informed her. When Felicity caught sight of the syringe in his hand, she flinched.

"Do you know what you're doing?" she immediately asked.

"Yeah," Oliver replied. "I've done this before. Why? Are you scared?"

"I hate needles," Felicity answered. "Or pointy things in general." She heard Oliver chuckle and glanced over at him where he sat beside her hip. "What's so funny?"

"I happen to like pointy things," he said. "Particularly arrows. I have a thing for archery."

"Really?" she asked. "And here I thought it was an utterly ridiculous sport. Is it even a sport? I mean, I know what a sport is. It's an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against one another. But is archery really that hard? You point an arrow at a target and let go. That's it."

Again, Oliver chuckled, but his eyes remained focused on her back. Felicity hadn't realized he'd already administered the local anesthetic until she felt something tug on her skin. It didn't hurt, it just felt strange and unpleasant. "I'll have to show you sometime," he said. "Then you'll see just how hard it is to 'point an arrow at a target and let go.' It requires a lot of concentration and focus, and it's definitely not easy."

"So if you're good at archery, does that make you a real life Hawkeye?" Felicity mused.

"Hawkeye… Hmm… Never really thought of it that way," Oliver replied. "The only difference between me and him is that I'm not deaf."

"He wasn't always deaf," she corrected. "But that's not the point. The point, no pun intended, is that I would really like to see you shoot a bow and arrow."

"And I'd be glad to show you," he said, giving her one of his beaming smiles. "When you're feeling better, I'll take you to the range and show you what archery is all about."

"Then it's a date," Felicity said, but upon seeing a strange look in his eyes as Oliver gazed down at her, she backpedaled and added, "Well, not a  _date_ date, because that would imply that we're more than what we really are…"

"Felicity." He stopped her by putting a hand on her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. "It's a date."

"But you and Sara…"

"I think it's safe to say things between us are over."

Oliver's confession left her dumbfounded. "But, why?"

His eyes drifted over her back and he sighed. "What she did to you… The fact that you're afraid to tell me why she did it… I know something's wrong. I know she's been pushing me away for a while, but I refused to see it. I thought I could fix whatever was wrong between us, but after seeing you like this, I realize this isn't something I can't fix," Oliver said. His gaze drifted back to her eyes. "Do you remember when you asked me if I really loved her or if I was trying to hold onto something that might not be there anymore?" Felicity nodded. "I think I was just trying to hold onto something that wasn't there."

"Oliver," she whispered, reaching out to place her hand over his where it lay on the bed beside her hip. Their fingers intertwined and for a moment it seemed as if the earth had stopped moving as he stared down at her, his eyes filled with so many intense emotions that Felicity could see just how affected he was by this revelation.

Oliver gave her a wavering smile and said, "Better now than later, right?" She knew that tone. He was hurting on the inside, but refused to let it show on the outside. He began to rise from the bed, his task of sewing up the worst of her injuries already complete, but she refused to let go of his hand.

"Hey," Felicity replied, tugging him back down so he was sitting a little closer to her head. "You'll get through this. You've been through so much worse. Breaking up with your girlfriend of two years is just a blip on the radar. If anything, it's a new beginning, a chance to figure things out and find what really makes you happy."

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as his other hand stroked through her hair. Oliver leaned down until they were face to face and whispered, "I already know what makes me happy."

"What's that?" Felicity cautiously asked.

"You," he simply answered as his smile grew into a dimpled grin. Her eyes went wide as she watched him lean in and press a soft kiss to her lips. Although she wanted to move, to speak, to say something, her body refused. This was uncharted territory, and she had no idea how to deal with it.

Oliver pulled away after a few moments when he realized she wasn't going to budge. "What are you thinking?" he asked, the hopeful look in his eyes suddenly turning into fear and trepidation.

Pursing her lips, Felicity gazed up at him with the same level of fear and trepidation. "No one's ever said that to me before," she answered, her voice soft and full of the uncertainty she felt at that moment.

"What do you mean? No one's ever told you that you've made them happy? How is that even possible?" Oliver replied, confusion spreading across his handsome face. He then slipped into bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and scooting closer until his chest was firmly pressed to her arm.

"I don't know," Felicity said. "People have told me I've made them angry or sad or embarrassed, but never happy."

A smile suddenly lit up his face as his fingers filtered through her still damp hair. "Then I'm glad to be the first," Oliver said. "You deserve to be told you make someone happy. I didn't know what true happiness was until you walked into my office to fix my computer. You were just so… bubbly and oddly charming. I knew at that moment I wanted to get to know you because you were just so unexpected."

Although his words were flattering in the best of ways, Felicity couldn't help but feel bad over how everything had played out these past few days. "But I feel like I've also caused you so much grief," she admitted. "I feel like I've dragged you into things you shouldn't even be involved in, like this whole stalker thing."

"Felicity," he whispered, his eyes zeroing in on hers as they stared at each other for several long moments. "I'm glad you involved me. Even if we weren't together, I probably still would have helped you. You're too good a person to have to go through this alone. And I don't ever want you to think you're a burden to me. Because you're not. In the last month, you've made me smile more than I've smiled since the accident."

"Really?" Felicity asked, her eyes misting up as a smile finally cracked on her face.

"According to my sister, it's the truth," Oliver answered, returning it with a stunning one of his own. Then he leaned in and kissed her again, only this time she kissed back with equal intensity.

Felicity tried to turn her body toward him, but pain shot through her back and she whimpered against his lips. Oliver pulled away almost instantly, staring down at her with concerned azure eyes. "I swear if I wasn't in so much pain, we'd be having sex right now," she angrily muttered.

A warm laugh escaped his mouth as he nuzzled her forehead before pressing a kiss to her temple. "Get some rest, baby," Oliver said before pulling away. "You've had a rough morning. I'll go see if I have any more painkillers left. They should help you get some sleep."

Felicity groaned. "But I don't want to sleep," she whined. "I wanna be awake, with you."

"How about a compromise?" Oliver offered. "You sleep for a few hours, then we'll do whatever you like after you've had some rest. Sound good?"

"Ugh, fine," Felicity relented.

Oliver hopped off the bed and left the room, but returned a few minutes later holding a large white pill and a glass of water in his hands. "Vicodin," he said after she drank it down. "If you need anything, just yell. I'll be in my office down the hall with the door open so I can hear you. Okay?"

"Okay," she replied.

* * *

Felicity slept for longer than a few hours. When she awoke, it was late afternoon and the sun was just making its descent on the horizon. Her naked body had been tucked beneath a warm blanket and there was a glass of water on the nightstand with a note propped up against it. She reached out and grabbed it, unfolding the crisp white paper to read what was inside.

_I had to run out for a little while, but I'll be back soon. Your phone is charged on the nightstand beside the water if you need me to come home. Raisa's in the kitchen making dinner. Go ahead and eat if you're hungry. You don't have to wait for me._

_I'll see you soon._

_Oliver_

A smile had crawled onto her lips as she read his elegant handwriting. Felicity put down the note, her stomach growling at the mention of food. It had been a good twenty-four hours since her last meal and she was famished, but if Oliver said he'd be home soon, she'd wait. They hadn't eaten a proper meal together in over a week. With work and Barry in the hospital, fast food and take out had been their go-to meals.

Getting up, Felicity dressed herself in the loosest yoga pants and t-shirt she could find, but the shirt still rubbed against her stitches, tugging at the edges and making her feel uncomfortable. She wandered into the master bedroom closet hoping to find something that wouldn't bother her as much. After several shirts failed the tug test, Felicity ran her fingers along the crisp white linen dress shirts on Oliver's wall and found them to be smooth to the touch.

Without a second thought, she grabbed one off the hanger and slipped it over her shoulders. There was no uncomfortable tugging against her stitches and although it was far too big for her, it smelled just like Oliver: lavender, amber, and sandalwood. The comfort that came with being wrapped up in something of his eased whatever anxiety she felt about him being away just then. Tugging the white linen as close to her chest as possible, Felicity wandered out into the kitchen to find Raisa standing over the stove stirring something that smelled fantastic.

"Oh, my god! Is it possible to have an orgasm just through scent?" Felicity practically moaned as she gently eased herself into a chair at the island. The chuckle she got out of the woman standing in front of her made her freeze instantly. "And I said that out loud, didn't I?" she asked, burying her face in her hands.

"What would you like to eat for dinner, Miss Felicity?" Raisa replied, completely ignoring her verbal gaffe and instead focusing on her rumbling stomach.

"Whatever it is you're making, I'll have two," Felicity answered, glad that the older woman had Oliver's knack for putting up with her odd outbursts.

"Well, I have Mediterranean orzo salad with feta vinaigrette, tomato-basil lasagna with prosciutto, and for dessert I've made chocolate truffle cheesecake," Raisa said as she turned to Felicity with a wide smile on her face. It was like nothing fazed the woman, even the sight of her employer's sub wrapped in one of his shirts sitting at the island like it was her own home.

Felicity couldn't have felt more relieved at that moment as they stared at each other, both smiling softly at one another. She could tell this woman was loyal to Oliver and that whatever happened in his house only concerned her when it hurt him. Raisa seemed like the type of person who would never intentionally hurt anyone, someone Oliver could trust, and because of that, Felicity felt she could trust her too.

"I'll have one of each," she finally said, "but I'll wait until Oliver gets back."

"Of course, Miss Felicity," Raisa replied, turning back to the stove to finish stirring whatever was in the pot in front of her.

They fell into a comfortable silence as Felicity watched the older woman putter around the kitchen, grabbing one ingredient then another and slowly adding them to her dish until she nodded at the taste and turned off the burner, setting aside the pot and beginning a new dish. Felicity had become so absorbed in the woman's meticulous food preparation that she failed to noticed the door to the penthouse open.

It wasn't until a pair of arms slid around her waist and a pair of lips pressed to her cheek that she squeaked in surprise. Oliver's warm laugh filled her ear as she relaxed into him.

"I thought I told you to go ahead and eat without me," he murmured before letting her go.

"I woke up a few minutes ago. I haven't been waiting long," Felicity replied as she turned to watch him take a seat beside her. He wore a simple dark gray henley and blue jeans, his caramel brown leather jacket discarded on the couch in the living room.

When Oliver's arm wound around her waist and pulled her into his side, she didn't protest. Her head came to rest against his shoulder as he pressed his cheek into her hair. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Better," Felicity said, leaning fully into his side.

"I like your choice of shirt," Oliver commented, his eyes roaming over her white linen clad body before returning to her face.

"It was the only thing that didn't feel weird against my stitches," she said. "That and it smells like you," Felicity quietly admitted.

He smiled down at her and said, "I missed you, too," then captured her lips in a soft kiss. "Hungry?" Oliver asked when he pulled away.

"Starving," Felicity replied.

"You have impeccable timing, Mr. Oliver. Dinner is ready," Raisa said.

Felicity looked on in awe as the older woman set two delicately laid out plates of food in front of them. Sometime between Oliver's arrival and that moment, she'd put it all together without Felicity's knowledge. It was like the woman was a food ninja.

The snort she heard come from her dining companion had Felicity turning her head to look at him, slightly puzzled.

"Food ninja?" Oliver asked, winking at her. "Isn't that a game?"

"It's  _Fruit Ninja_  and I blame my lack of filter on the Vicodin you gave me," she deadpanned before picking up her fork and digging into the spread in front of her. "Oh, god, this is so delicious," Felicity then moaned, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as she tasted the Mediterranean orzo salad. Oliver nudged her shoulder and smiled, then they settled into a comfortable silence as they ate.

They ended up splitting a slice of Raisa's chocolate cake instead of eating one each. Felicity was already sufficiently stuffed by the time dessert was served, having eaten two servings of lasagna and at least half a serving more of the salad. Oliver ended up eating most of it while she nibbled on the crust, loving the chocolate graham crackers more than the cheesecake itself.

When her head landed on his shoulder after they'd finished, his arm banded around her waist, pulling her against his side once more as they sat on the barstools staring at each other.

"That was nice," Felicity said, gently easing herself off the seat but still hissing in pain as she stood up. Her body ached in all the wrong places making it hard to move around.

Oliver was right there at her side, his arm becoming the support she needed in order to stand fully upright. "C'mon," he replied, guiding her out of the kitchen and into the hallway. "Let's get you back to bed."

"How long is this going to hurt?" she whined, the pain getting to her as they walked past the master bedroom and into the guest room.

"Probably until Sunday, at the earliest. It takes about three days for the bruising to go down," Oliver said. "Would you like me to grab you another Vicodin?"

"Not yet," Felicity replied. "I've been sleeping all day and I'd really like to spend some time with you." She paused at the foot of the bed, unbuttoning the shirt and letting it gently slip off her shoulders onto the floor. The heavy sigh she heard from behind her had Felicity turning her head to spot Oliver staring at her back. "Is it really that bad?" she asked, slipping her fingers beneath the waistband of her yoga pants then pulling them down her legs so they pooled at her bare feet.

"It's not something I ever wanted to see on you," Oliver finally replied as he stepped closer. "I've seen worse. I've been through worse, but you didn't deserve this. You didn't want this."

Felicity's head fell, her chin pressing against her chest while her eyes locked on her feet. She couldn't deny he was right. She  _never_ wanted this. It was in the contract, but Sara had done it anyway. When Oliver's hands came to rest against her hips, she didn't startle, but she didn't look up either. Not even when his chin landed on her shoulder, his bare chest pressing gently to her back. She stood there, stock still, trying to process everything that had happened in the past few days.

Her thoughts drifted to days gone by, memories she had been trying to forget for years. But the pain of Sara's beating brought them to the forefront, especially as Oliver silently stood behind her. A flash of a past event, the strikes of a wire flogger across her bare skin, pain searing all over her body, a hand covering her mouth to stop her from crying out… Hot tears came unbidden as Felicity stood there reliving the nightmare.

"Baby?" Oliver asked as he turned her around and found her silently crying. "Baby, what's wrong?" His hands came up to cup her cheeks, thumbs brushing away the tears that gathered beneath her lashes. "Talk to me, Felicity," he pleaded, panic lacing his voice.

A violent sob escaped her throat as she threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. "This isn't the first time," she wept.

"Talk to me," Oliver whispered. "Tell me what happened. Let me help you." His arms wrapped around her shoulders, one hand sinking into her hair while the other stroked up and down her spine.

"You can't help me," Felicity cried. "What's done is done. You can't change the past." She'd never felt this defensive before, this raw, this  _broken_. For the first time in longer than she could remember, Felicity didn't want to talk about it. She wanted to simply forget that night so long ago and never bring it up again.

"But I can listen," Oliver reasoned. "You can tell me anything and I'll never judge you. I just don't want this to hurt you anymore. I can't  _watch_ you hurt anymore. It kills me to see you like this."

Felicity glanced up at him to see the sincerity in his eyes, see just how affected he was by her current state of well being. Oliver wanted to help,  _needed_ to help, as if his life depended on it. Those soulful azure eyes focused solely on her, silently begging for her to let him in, just as they'd done in the diner so many weeks ago.

He stroked her cheeks with his hands, those big, warm, calloused hands that had always brought her so much comfort, and she sniffled, then finally broke. "It was my last job in Vegas, a few days before I moved to Boston," Felicity said. "I was working at this one club far from the Strip, but it catered to some high end clientele. It's where I made most of my money. My mom still doesn't know about this, and if she did, she'd kill me. She thinks I did it by waitressing at The Palms."

Oliver simply stared at her, his expression neutral as his thumbs stroked back and forth against her skin, continuing to wipe away her tears. He held her face in his hands, patiently waiting for Felicity to gather her thoughts. "It was my last night there and my boss lined up some pretty impressive clients for me. The first and second ones weren't so bad. Kinky, but fun. It was the last one that turned out to be the worst experience of my life. He was a sadist, and although I thought I knew what that meant, I wasn't expecting him to be as aggressive as he was.

"I was stupid back then. I didn't read the contract that was drawn up between him and my boss and went in not knowing what would happen. I thought he was just going to get a little rough, slap me around a bit, but that was far from the truth. As soon as he came into my room, I was stripped and gagged then tied to the bed face down."

Felicity had to pause for a moment to gather her thoughts. Although this had happened when she was seventeen, it felt like yesterday, especially with Sara's sadistic outburst that morning. It was still hard to talk about, but she tried, her eyes flicking up to Oliver's for reassurance. When he gave her one of his warm smiles, some of the tension in her body eased, but she felt weak and unable to stand.

"Can we sit down?" Felicity asked.

"Of course," he replied, guiding her to the bed before taking a seat beside her. Oliver's hand reached out to wrap around one of hers, and she immediately felt anchored by his touch.

Letting out a shaky breath, Felicity squeezed his hand and continued. "He didn't say a word to me at first, just grabbed one of my whips and began beating me with it. Then he started to call me a slut and a whore, that I was nothing but a piece of trash for him to do with as he pleased." She sucked in a breath, recalling the man's cruel words as he climbed on top of her, his weight pressing her into the mattress as he ripped off the tape that had been on her mouth before replacing it with his hand.

"It's okay," she heard Oliver whisper as his other hand came to rest against her cheek, cradling it in his palm to bring her out of the painful reverie. "I'm right here. If you need to take a minute, go ahead. I'm not going anywhere."

"You're one of the few people that's ever been nice to me," Felicity softly admitted as her eyes drifted up to his and found those intense azure orbs staring back at her with emotions she couldn't even begin to name. She turned her head and pressed a soft kiss against his wrist. "Thank you for listening."

"I'll always listen," Oliver replied as he leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You never have to be afraid to tell me anything."

With a wavering smile, Felicity nodded and continued, "Good, because this next part isn't easy for me to talk about." He squeezed her hand in encouragement and she took a deep breath. "He got on top of me and um… he came about as close to raping me as you could get, but because I signed the contract, I basically consented to giving him full reign. I couldn't contest it. I couldn't back out. He had me pinned and gagged and there was no way for me to get out until someone came in to call time. Only then did he finally stop. And he just left me there still gagged, still tied to the bed, bleeding."

Felicity had left a lot out of her description of events, more for her benefit than for Oliver's, but it didn't stop her from breaking down as more tears streamed down her face. She felt his arms wrap around her shoulders, pulling her into his lap as he nestled her head beneath his chin. "I'm so sorry," Oliver murmured, over and over, as one hand cradled the back of her head while the other stroked up and down her spine.

"I still have nightmares about that night," she sniffled. "Although I never got his name, I'll see his face in a crowd every once in a while and get scared only to realize it's not him. He had a memorable face. Tanned skin, dark brown eyes, a beard, and an accent. I'm pretty sure he was from Australia or New Zealand, maybe. But it doesn't matter. Not anymore. I just want to forget that night ever happened."

Oliver didn't say anything. He simply held her in his arms. After several long minutes, his lips began pressing kisses to her forehead. Felicity pulled back and stared at him. There were so many emotions running through her at that moment, but the strongest one of all was how much she cared about Oliver. For the past month, his kindness had seen her through a multitude of things she probably wouldn't have been able to deal with on her own, from Barry's hospitalization to her stalker to Sara's cruelty.

Felicity knew right then that she had fallen for this incredible man. Oliver was a kindred soul, his pain running as deep as hers. Although more often than not, he kept his grief to himself, but with her, he was different. The savvy, smart businessman fell away revealing the lonely and broken boy beneath, desperate to love and be loved by someone who understood him. Sara hadn't been that person, but Felicity realized that she was. Their shared grief had brought them together, and slowly but surely, it bonded them more deeply than she ever could have imagined.

Gentle hands reached up to frame his face before she leaned in to press a soft kiss to his lips. Hearing Oliver hum against her mouth, she leaned closer, until her chest was pressed to his, and deepened the kiss. Her tongue ran along the seam of his lips, tentatively asking for permission to go further. When they parted, Felicity let go and gave into her baser instincts. Her hands ran up his shoulders until one grabbed a fistful of his hair while the other curled into the base of his neck.

"Felicity," he breathed against her lips before wrapping himself around her.

Her eyes, which had shut once they began kissing, fluttered open to stare at him. She could see the restrained need flashing in those azure orbs. "Please," Felicity whispered, her voice filled with despair. It was all she needed to say.

Oliver immediately relaxed in her hold, his arms loose around her waist giving her free reign to do as she pleased, to do as she  _needed_. She eased him onto his back, his head falling against her pillow, and straddled his hips.

It wasn't just desperation that fueled her; it was also need. She  _needed_ to feel him against her. She  _needed_ to know he was there with her, keeping her grounded when all she wanted to do was run. She  _needed_ him to keep her mind off the the mess that had become her life, the mess that always seemed to follow her wherever she went. Most of all, she just needed  _him_ , because he was her beacon in this heavy darkness. Everything felt better when she was with him.

Right now, though, her mouth was slowly making its way down his neck, pressing soft kisses against his flesh as his head rolled back and he gave into her completely. Her kisses traveled along his broad chest until she reached the waistband of his pants. Slowly, she sat up, her ass resting against his thighs as she gazed down at him.

She took Oliver's hands and placed them over her breasts before leaning down to capture his lips once more. This kiss wasn't hurried. It was slow and meandering as he kneaded the mounds beneath his fingers ever so gently in time with her mouth.

With a soft sigh, she pulled away once more. Her hands fell to the waistband of his pants, undoing the belt buckle then the button then the zipper. It wasn't long before she pulled them off his waist and down his legs, discarding them on the floor beside the bed. That left Oliver in a simple pair of black briefs which she hooked her fingers into. They, too, were slowly peeled off until he was completely naked beneath her.

Felicity took her time kissing her way back up his body, her lips paying special attention to each scar or scrape or bruise she found along the way. It helped her process her own injuries, the pain she'd endured. She felt Oliver's hands reach up, cupping her face and bringing it to his lips for another kiss. The thoughts running through her mind almost instantly froze as his soft lips moved in time with hers allowing Felicity the respite she sought. They pushed the pain to the fringes of her consciousness, letting her enjoy the simple pleasure only he could give her.

Felicity relished in the feel of his mouth against hers. She savored it with abandon, refusing to let go even as he tried to pull back for air. "It's okay," Oliver whispered against her lips. "I'm not leaving. I'm right here." His fingers brushed through her hair, ghosting along her temples as his lips pressed soft kisses to her forehead, her cheeks, her jaw. "I've got you." The soft spoken reassurances allowed her to relax a little as Felicity's mouth traveled down his chest again until she reached his lower abdomen.

She took his cock in her hands as her throat worked convulsively when she bent forward. The need to taste him, to feel him drove her on. Her tongue slowly circled and licked at the broad head for a couple of minutes before she began to work her way down the shaft. Felicity looked up and noted that he was biting his lower lip, holding back slightly. That wasn't what she wanted. She needed Oliver to throw caution to the wind, to give in, to let her pleasure him the way he pleasured her. It was the only way she knew how to repay his kindness.

Her eyes challenged him to do so as she opened her mouth and swallowed him halfway to the base. Felicity suckled slowly up his length until only the head remained in her mouth. Then she parted her lips so he could watch as she ran her tongue about the helmet once more, before she began the whole process all over again, taking even more of his cock down her throat.

Her efforts were rewarded when a silent tremor rocked Oliver's body. He sighed in contentment, his fingers tangling in her hair, pulling strands free from rubber band that held it up as his hips rocked in time with her mouth. Up and down she went, her lips and tongue working in tandem to grant him all the pleasure in the world.

This was where Felicity found her comfort, put herself at ease. Pleasing someone was what took away her pain, even for a little while. She did everything she could, used every trick she knew in order to get Oliver to come as quickly as possible. It was the only thing that would make her feel better right now.

Heart thundering in her chest, Felicity finished her ministrations with one last kiss upon the head of his cock before sitting up. She crawled across his body, her lips blazing a trail from his navel back to his mouth before reclaiming it. Gentle arms wrapped around his neck, holding Oliver close as her tongue explored his mouth.

"Felicity," he whispered when she pulled back, his eyes locked on hers as his hands came up to frame her face, to hold it close as they stared at each other for several long moments.

Desperation, longing, need and something more captivated her. Felicity leaned down again, her lips pressed to his, eyes fluttering shut for fear of putting a name to the emotion she was scared to admit to herself. Oliver kissed back with an intensity she hadn't felt in ages. His lips consume her, and before long, she found herself rocking against him.

" _Felicity_ ," he murmured her name like a prayer against her mouth.

Her eyes drifted open, staring down at him with a gentle look that she knew conveyed every emotion she felt at that moment. Felicity could see him staring back at her with that same intensity, his hands cupping her face as he leaned up to capture her lips. They kissed for a moment before she pulled away, her hand wiggling out from beneath his neck, tracing its way down his side until she was at his hip.

All Oliver did was lie back and let her do as she pleased. As her hand wrapped around his cock and slowly guided him to her entrance, he tangled his fingers in her hair, pulling it free from the rubber band that was on the verge of falling out, and kissed her once more.

It was only a matter of moments before she sank down, sheathing him completely in the warm, wet confines of her pussy. So many nights had passed since the last time she'd had him inside her. The sensation alone sent a jolt of heat pulsing through her body. Then Oliver raked his teeth over her bottom lip before sucking it into his mouth and releasing.

Felicity was already panting, her chest pressed to his feeling every sharp breath he took, every inhale and exhale lifting her before bringing her down again. Soon it was the rhythm her hips took, swaying up before sinking down over his cock. As much as she'd wanted his kisses, she wanted this more.

Her eyes remained locked on his, even as their lips met and parted. She couldn't get enough of those beautiful azure pools staring up at her as if she was the sun breaking through his stormy skies. Calloused hands continued to cradle her face, holding her close as kiss after kiss spilled from his lips in time with the rhythm of their bodies. Slow and steady, they rocked against each other.

Time was all but forgotten as she clung to him, seeking out refuge in his arms. And she held onto him as she'd held onto him every single time she'd needed his comforting presence around her. Oliver was the only thing keeping her from completely falling apart. Of all the people who'd entered her life after Cooper, only he had stayed through the worst of it, never leaving her side, never letting her go even after all the things she'd told him about her past.

Felicity sat up then, her hips rocking faster as her hand fell to his chest, just above his heart, to steady herself. Oliver sat up as well, keeping his body anchored to hers as they continued their mad dash towards completion. His arms wrapped around her waist, head falling beneath her chin as he held her tight. Their bodies continued to sway, hips meeting and parting in a rhythm as old as time itself.

"Felicity," he breathed against her neck, his lips latching on to a spot where her collarbone met her throat and showering it with kisses. Her left hand found it's way into his hair as her right fell against the small of his back, pulling her closer as their bodies dipped and swayed in practiced motions.

"Oliver," she whispered back before peppering his forehead with kisses that traveled down his temple and cheek until they met his lips. Her kisses conveyed the desperation she'd kept hidden for so long. She latched onto his mouth, intent on staying there until they both came.

Taking advantage of her distracted state, Oliver slipped his hand between their bodies seeking out her clit. When he reached the sensitive little nub, Felicity moaned against his lips. Her hips ground harder against his as her nails raked over his scalp and back. His name spilled from her lips in a strangled cry as he pressed harder against it until she was trembling above him.

"Come for me, Felicity.  _Please_ come for me," he begged when she gazed down at him and their eyes locked once more. Oliver had never pleaded with her before, but tonight everything felt different. She could feel it in the air, in the way his body moved with hers, in the way he held her.

He saw the fire blazing in her eyes, saw it burning from the inside out. Oliver stoked it with a few more hard thrusts of his hips as his fingers pressed against her clit, then watched her fly apart. Felicity shuddered before hoarsely whispering his name and grabbing a fistful of his hair while her other hand raked down his back leaving long red scratches in her wake.

Her thighs quivered as the heat that had been building low in her belly finally exploded into a massive fireball that quickly consumed her whole body. Felicity closed her eyes, pressing her forehead to his then capturing his lips in a searing kiss. It triggered his orgasm, and he came with his arms wrapped tight around her waist. "Felicity," her murmured against her lips one last time before sinking into the mattress.

They heaved and panted for the next several minutes, bodies exhausted from the exertion. Felicity let her head drop to his shoulder, feeling herself move up and down with every breath he took. She could hear the rapid beat of Oliver's heart beneath her ear and couldn't help but curl herself closer to him. His right hand stroked up and down her back while the left played with the heart necklace around her neck, rolling the warm silver between his fingers before fiddling with the charm itself. She relaxed almost immediately.

"Thank you," Felicity whispered, her lips pressing to his jaw and trailing a kiss to his mouth.

"You're welcome," he murmured when they pulled apart. Oliver ran his fingers along the soft planes of her face, brushing errant strands of damp hair away from her forehead before pressing a kiss to it. "Get some rest, baby," he added, throwing the blanket that had haphazardly landed on the floor over their bodies before wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her against his side.

Feeling safe, warm, and sated, Felicity closed her eyes, Oliver's heartbeat and soft breathing lulling her to sleep. But it didn't last long. A heavy weight pressed down upon her chest, and as she opened her eyes, Felicity found herself in a familiar room. She was on her back in a cheap bed with even cheaper sheets, her arms and legs tied to the corners of the frame. Her clothes lay in shambles, cut away from her body in haste as the perpetrator stood above her, knife in hand.

The twisted smile on his bearded lips made her cringe, and were it not for the cotton he'd stuffed in her mouth that he'd taped in place, Felicity would have screamed. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, slowly dripping down her cheeks as she watched him strip before her, hardened muscles rippling in the incandescent glow of the flickering lights overhead. She silently begged, pleading for him not to hurt her, but his eyes were cold and distant. Then he grabbed something for a chair to his left and she gasped beneath her gag.

It was a braided whip, about thirty inches long, made completely of leather. The tip was but a thin scrap of material Felicity knew would leave decent welts if not split open her skin if struck hard enough. It was the same one he'd used during their first encounter, only this time, he gave no warning. His arm swung up and the thin leather landed straight across the tops of her thighs. A burning sensation followed, and when she looked down, there was blood collecting on her skin.

Several more strikes landed over her abdomen and breasts, also drawing blood that soon dripped down her body and pooled on the cheap sheets beneath her. Tears flowed down her cheeks in a steady stream the more aggressive the man became until the pain was unbearable. Behind the gag, Felicity cried out with every stroke of the whip that marked her delicate skin until her voice became hoarse and her throat burned.

When he finally dropped the whip onto the floor, he ripped the tape and cotton from her mouth, replacing it with his hand as he mounted her thighs. Her eyes went wide as he grabbed his thick cock and stroked it with his free hand. Felicity knew what would happen next. Without so much as a warning, he thrust into her, not bothering to check if she was ready yet. The stabbing, searing pain that came from being penetrated without lubrication forced a scream so loud from her throat, it managed to echo even from behind his large hand.

"Felicity!" she heard the urgent call of her name, but it wasn't from the man above her. It was from somewhere far away, maybe behind the door. "Felicity!" the call came again, this time closer than it had been before. Her body felt like it was being rocked violently, but again, it wasn't the man who was doing it. "Felicity! Wake up!"

Suddenly, her eyes shot open as she gasped for breath. Sitting bolt upright, Felicity glanced around her surroundings to find she was in the penthouse guest room, the comforter Oliver had wrapped her in thrown haphazardly to the side. He sat next to her, his hand running up and down her arm, trying to get her to calm down. But she couldn't escape the horrible images from her nightmare. Felicity panted, her heart beating too rapidly for her liking, but she just couldn't calm down.

"It's okay, baby," Oliver whispered as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest. "It was just a bad dream. You're safe now. I'm right here."

Feeling the warmth of his body and the delicate kisses he pressed into her hair, Felicity broke down and began to weep. He held her, rocking her back and forth for the next several minutes, whispering soft words of encouragement before she finally relaxed into him, allowing his calming presence to seep into her bones. She was laid back down on the bed as Oliver reached over and grabbed something off the nightstand.

Two pills were dropped into her hand. "Aspirin and Xanax," he said when she stared up at him with questioning eyes. "I grabbed them while you were sleeping. I also have a Vicodin in case you didn't have a nightmare, but taking that with Xanax isn't exactly safe."

Felicity took the two pills without question, downing them with the water before handing the empty glass back to him. She settled back into bed, her body curled against Oliver's side as he wrapped his arms around her, keeping her enveloped in his warmth.

"I'm sorry," she hoarsely whispered, her voice raw from screaming during her nightmare.

"No need to apologize," Oliver replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Just get some rest. We'll talk more tomorrow."

"Okay," Felicity mumbled before burrowing her head into the crook of his neck and closing her eyes. Although the images of her nightmare lingered, the Xanax managed to knock her out within minutes, finally allowing her a peaceful stretch of sleep.


	25. Chapter 25

Saturday morning came without much fanfair. Felicity awoke later than usual, but the fact that she wasn't alone in bed didn't escape her attention either. Oliver had wrapped himself around her, his arms folded over her waist, holding her against his chest as his feet tangled with hers beneath the covers. She could feel the press of his lips against her forehead while his fingers ran through the tangled strands of her unwashed blonde hair. Taking a shower today was a must since most of the previous day had been spent in bed either sleeping or fucking.

The shrill ring of Oliver's phone forced her eyes to open. His heavy sigh and the fact that he didn't bother to turn around, instead holding her a little tighter, prompted Felicity to gaze up at him and ask, "Aren't you going to get that?"

"No," he rumbled, his voice gravelly with sleep.

"What if it's important?"

"It's Saturday. Whoever needs my attention can wait," Oliver said. He shifted, rolling them until he was on his back and she lay draped across his chest. As he gazed down at her, he smiled. "Good morning."

Felicity's face broke out in a grin as she replied, "Good morning, Sir."

Leaning down, Oliver pressed a kiss to her lips. "We should really talk about that," he said, his smile unwavering.

"Talk about what?" Felicity asked, tilting her head slightly as she gazed up at him, her curiosity piqued.

"About what you call me, about the contract, about our... relationship," Oliver replied. He seemed relaxed, happy even, as he stared back at her, those azure eyes shining in the mid morning light.

"What do you mean?" Felicity sat up, bracing her weight on the palms of her hands as she spread them out on either side of his head.

They eyed each other for quite some time as Oliver took in her appearance. His smile never wavered, and when he reached up to brush back her hair behind her ears, Felicity couldn't help but smile back. Something told her this wasn't going to be one of those scary talks about boundaries and crossing them. No, the look in his eyes told her otherwise. He was about to take a leap of faith straight into her arms.

"What I mean is…" His words trailed off when they both heard a soft knock come from the door. With an exasperated sigh, Oliver called out, "This better be important."

"It is important," came a familiar voice from the other side. "Ollie, open up. We need to talk. All of us.  _Please_."

_Sara_.

Beneath Felicity, he tensed, his hands balling into fists as he stared at the door. The anger she saw in Oliver's eyes was palpable. There was a storm brewing in those deep azure pools. Realizing the situation was about to get out of hand, Felicity reached out and cupped his cheek with her hand. "She's right," she whispered. "We do need to talk." Her calm demeanor helped settle him and soon Oliver relaxed his glare.

Although the thought of facing her abuser scared her, Felicity knew the only way to get through this, to get past the pain and the fear and give them the closure they needed in order to move forward with their relationship, they needed to talk to Sara. She was the last obstacle standing in their way, and if Oliver was as close to moving on as she thought, Felicity felt strong enough to do it with him by her side.

"Fine," he muttered. "Give us a minute!" he yelled at the door.

A few minutes later, they were dressed in the previous day's clothes: Felicity in Oliver's dress shirt and yoga pants, and Oliver in his henley and jeans. He ushered them out into the hallway to find Sara standing there waiting for them. Her cool gaze flitted between the two of them until it settled on Felicity, taking in her ragged appearance and tousled hair. Understanding dawned in her eyes and Sara immediately looked down at her feet.

"What do you want, Sara?" Oliver practically growled as his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes boring straight into the woman that had wronged him. Felicity immediately reached out, her hand falling over his forearm and giving it a light squeeze. He relaxed his stance somewhat, but refused to back down. To let things get out of hand would defeat the purpose of talking.

"There's something I need to tell you," Sara said, her voice almost sounding hesitant as she gazed up at him, a sheen of tears sparkling in her baby blue eyes.

"Then tell me," Oliver shot back. His demeanor hadn't changed. His muscles tensed beneath Felicity's touch, his eyes focusing on the woman facing him. She continued to squeeze his forearm, reminding him to keep his cool, no matter how angry he became. After his outburst yesterday morning, she wanted nothing more than to keep him calm. It scared her to think what might happen if he got angry.

"Felicity," Sara said, turning to her, eyes now red and voice quivering. "I'm sorry for what I did to you yesterday. I know it was wrong for me to get mad at you for not wanting to keep my secret, but I never should have hurt you. I betrayed your trust and for that I'm truly sorry."

Felicity simply stared at her without saying a word. Hearing the apology didn't equate to accepting it. Sara might have been sorry for what she'd done, but there was still that residual feeling of betrayal Felicity couldn't shake. So, she decided against replying. It would take more than a few words to gain back her trust, if that was even possible now. The pain running down her back and thighs was evidence enough.

"Well, that's one apology out of the way," Oliver retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he slumped against the wall. "Although I still can't figure out why this even happened in the first place, so I really do hope you have an explanation for it." His expression hardened as he stared back at her, the tension in his muscles getting worse. This time, Felicity couldn't get him to calm down. The live wire was primed and she hoped for Sara's sake that she knew what she was doing if her intention was to tell him about her affair.

"Ollie." Sara turned her attention on him as she swiped her hand beneath her eyes, brushing back the tears that threatened to fall. "You know I care about you very much and that I love you. We've been through a lot together and you've helped me through as much as you could…"

Her words sobered him up rather quickly. Oliver pushed off the wall as he stared down at her, the anger in his eyes quickly replaced with trepidation. "Sara, what are you trying to say?" he asked. His muscles had gone slack and Felicity's hand slipped off his forearm as he stepped closer to Sara.

"What I'm trying to say is…" She trailed off, her hands flexing at her sides as she looked away from him for a moment before looking back. "What I'm trying to say," Sara said a little more quietly this time, "is that I… I'm not  _in love_  with you anymore."

Oliver stood stoically staring at her for several moments, his eyes boring into hers as they gazed at each other, the world around them completely forgotten. Felicity could feel the tension in the air. It crackled like exposed electrical wires. Her heart had begun to thump in her chest as she waited for someone, anyone to respond.

"Why?" Oliver finally asked, breaking the silence.

Sara shifted on her feet, her eyes flicking to the floor as she continued. "There's someone else," was all she managed to say before Oliver started shaking his head.

"How long?" he asked, the waver in his voice noticeable. His emotions were palpable, so much so that even Felicity was becoming affected by them. Her heart ached for this man. Finding out someone who he had loved for so long no longer loved him back, it was a crushing blow, especially after everything he'd done to try and salvage their relationship.

But Felicity also knew it wasn't one-sided. After yesterday and last night and this morning, she knew Oliver was starting to feel the same way about Sara. It still hurt, though, having to go through this, having to be told, point blank, that the person who once loved him with all her heart had found another.

"Six months," Sara practically whispered.

"Six months," Oliver reiterated. "Six  _fucking_ months… And all this time I thought it was me. I thought I had done something wrong and you were angry with me. All this time I've been trying to  _fix_ things between us… And you've been fucking someone behind my back?" His voice had slowly risen before he stopped himself and took a deep breath. Then he laughed a bitter laugh and added, "I guess what they say about karma is true. What goes around, comes around."

Felicity knew exactly what he was talking about: Sara's sister, Laurel. It didn't take her genius IQ to figure it out. He'd cheated on Laurel with Sara and now Sara was cheating on him with someone else. Maybe it was the universe's way of bringing about retribution, but for quite some time now, Oliver had been trying his hardest to atone for his sins.

"It's not like I wanted it to happen like this, Ollie," Sara replied. "But you wanted more and I just couldn't give you more! I can't switch so easily between Dom and sub like you do! I need to either be in control or be controlled, and I can't do that with you! It's not like it used to be. I'm not the same person I was two years ago. Hell, I'm not the same person I was two months ago! Everything's changed and you can't seem to accept that!"

"I just wanted to help you after you came back," Oliver softly replied, reaching out to her.

But Sara stepped back, throwing her hands up in front of her to stop him. "I wasn't ready for help back then! I didn't  _want_ help back then. It wasn't until I met Nyssa that I realized I needed it, and even then it was hard for me accept."

Oliver's entire demeanor changed upon hearing the name that had come spilling from her mouth. This time, he stepped back as the rage he'd felt earlier returned to his eyes. "Whoa, whoa! Nyssa? Your new  _bodyguard_? She's the one you've been fucking behind my back?" Oliver practically shouted. Felicity took a step back, afraid of getting caught in the crossfire, but it was already too late. He was angry, and with his anger came clarity. "Is she the reason why you wanted to bring Felicity into our relationship? So you could try things out before you went to her?"

"Oh, my god, Ollie! Do you even hear yourself right now?" Sara shouted back, arms flying.

"What do you expect me to say?" he tried to reason. His body vibrated with the anger and hurt he felt. Felicity could see it even as she stood several feet away at the door to the guest room. It was the safest place to be at that moment, and an easy escape if needed. "You've been sleeping around, behind my back for six months with another  _woman_! Did you really think I would be okay with that?"

"No! I never expected you to be okay with it! I'm just saying, you're being ridiculous!"

"How am I being ridiculous?" Oliver asked, throwing his arms up in the air. "Tell me, Sara! I just found out you've been cheating on me with your bodyguard! Is that why you wanted a female sub in the first place?"

"No!" She continued to deny it, holding her hands up in front of her, ready to get on the defense if need be.

But Oliver wasn't having any of it. He was determined to get an answer and shouted, "Then why!"

"Because I wanted  _you_ to break up with  _me_!" Sara finally admitted in a frustrated huff. Silence fell over the pair as they stared at each other, wide eyed and in utter shock over her confession.

Felicity stared at Sara, her mouth gaping as she finally came to understand what was going on. She stepped back, away from them both, tears stinging her eyes. In all her years of being in the sex industry, she had never,  _ever_ felt this used before. And now all she wanted to do was run, get away from the both of them and be alone for a little while. This was too much to handle. She slinked back into the guest room and grabbed her keys and wallet before slipping on a pair of tennis shoes, fully intent on leaving the penthouse as fast as possible.

"Wow," she could hear Oliver say through the open door once he'd recovered from the shock. "I thought Tommy had stooped to an all time low when I found out the only reason why he pushed me to get drunk and sleep with other women was so Laurel would break up with me and be with him, but this… This takes the cake."

"I'm… I'm sorry," Sara apologized.

Felicity made her way to the door and stared out, watching Oliver as he glared at Sara, his eyes glazed with unshed tears. She knew he was hurting just as much, if not more than she was over Sara's actions, and couldn't fault him for whatever words tumbled out of his mouth next.

"So your plan was to bring another woman into  _our_ relationship for the sole purpose of having me fall for her just so I could break up with you," Oliver surmised, his voice shaking with untold anger and grief. "Why, Sara? Was it because you felt guilty for seeing someone behind my back? Or was it because you were too much of a coward to just break up with me yourself?"

"I… I…" she quavered, unable to get out another word. The guilt was clear on her face, and it looked like she had more to say, but he wouldn't let her.

"You can't even come up with an excuse for this," Oliver interrupted. Another bitter laugh escaped his lips as he ran his hands over his face. "I can't believe you would stoop this low. And I sure as hell can't believe you could hurt someone just because she refused to keep your secret. You put an innocent woman in the middle of this fucked up game of yours and now she's scarred for life after what you did to her. How am I supposed to look her in the eye after this, when everything that's happened between us was some elaborate charade?"

Felicity's breath hitched as she clamped her hand over her mouth and sidestepped them both, bolting down the hall toward the elevator with her keys, phone, and purse in hand. She almost immediately sensed Oliver's eyes on her back as he looked away from Sara, and then he was running to try and catch up to her. "Felicity!" he shouted her name. "Felicity, wait!" But it was already too late. The doors were closing, and as she pressed her back against the wall, she could see the pained expression on his face, the apology written in his eyes just before they shut.

Tears streaked down her cheeks as she cried all the way down to the lobby. Once the doors opened, Felicity all but ran out, making her way through the building's entrance and racing toward her car in the other parking lot. The cold December wind hit her face as soon as she stepped outside. Grey clouds gathered in the sky, blanketing Starling City with an inch of snow so far.

The cold winter chill seeped through the thin material of her shirt and yoga pants all the way into her bones, but Felicity refused to stop until she made it to her car. Once inside the tiny Mini, she turned up the heat as high as it could go and sped away, her destination unknown. She wanted to go to her apartment, but the thought of someone possibly attacking her there made her already cold skin grow even colder. So she took a left instead of a right and headed for the hospital. Maybe visiting Barry would make her feel better. That's all Felicity could hope for at that moment.

Another parking garage, another race through cold hallways, and she was at his room, stepping between the two bodyguards that stood at his door. They gave her a glance and a nod before pushing it open and letting her in.

Iris sat at Barry's side, her fingers tracing his face, and when she heard Felicity enter, her gaze immediately flicked in her direction. "Felicity!" she said, her eyes lighting up momentarily before she spotted the blonde's appearance. "Felicity?" Iris asked, her smile turning into a frown. "What's wrong? Are you okay? Is everything alright?"

Felicity hadn't prepared herself for this. She half expected Barry to be alone, but Iris seemed to have become his constant shadow. The overwhelming need to run returned, but Felicity had already been cornered. Iris stood and slowly made her way to the frightened woman now standing at her friend's bedside.

"I don't wanna talk about it," Felicity mumbled as she backed into the door, hesitant to accept any comfort at that moment. She really just wanted to be alone, but Iris wasn't taking no for an answer.

She inched closer, until she was just a few feet away, and extended her hand. It fell to Felicity's forearm and she gasped. "You're freezing!" Iris exclaimed, getting even closer until her arms were able to wrap around Felicity's shoulders. "And you're shaking too. Did you go out like this?"

"Please, Iris," Felicity begged, her voice straining to keep her emotions in check, "I can't talk about this right now. I just… can't."

"It's okay. We don't have to talk. We can just sit and… wait for Barry to wake up."

Felicity had to give her credit. Iris was trying not to pry into her personal life, but when she let go and began leading Felicity toward a chair at Barry's bedside, the gasp that escaped from her lips was frightening.

"Oh, my god," Iris breathed. "Felicity, you're bleeding!"

"What!" she yelped, craning her neck to see what her new friend was talking about. Sure enough, the back of the white dress shirt was dotted with red, some spots larger than others. Sometime between leaving the penthouse and now, Felicity had either torn open her stitches without even realizing it or ripped open the wounds that hadn't been sewn shut. The cold combined with the morning's events must have made her oblivious to the pain, she realized.

The terrified look on her face must have tipped off Iris as she stepped closer once more, this time grabbing both of Felicity's hands and holding her in place. "Felicity, please tell me what happened. Did you cut yourself? Did Oliver do this to you? Did he hurt you?"

"No!" Felicity practically shouted as she pried herself away from the other woman's tight grasp and began backing out the door again. "I… It's… It's nothing like that. I… I have to go. I'm sorry, Iris. I have to go."

The second Felicity's back hit the door, she turned around and yanked it open, her tennis shoe clad feet hurrying her out of the hospital and back to her car. This time, she truly didn't know where to go. It seemed as if all her options had suddenly disappeared, leaving her with nothing but her car.

As she slid into the driver's seat, Felicity let her head fall to the steering wheel as a torrent of tears streamed down her cheeks. This wasn't how she expected to spend her Saturday morning. She missed her old life, the one that wasn't nearly as complicated as this one, where she'd wake up in her own bed at whatever time she felt like, where she went grocery shopping and cooked her own food, where the only obligation she had was to be at Verdant in the evening for her shift.

_Verdant_! That's where she'd go! Felicity quickly pulled herself together and started the engine, gunning the car out of the garage and straight to the club. Skidding through the icy, uncrowded streets of the Glades, she pulled into the back lot of the club to find a few cars parked there, Helena's nondescript black BMW being one of them.

Felicity ran to the entrance, punching in the security code (which, to her surprise, still worked) and immediately threw herself into the warm hallway. Her feet dragged her the fifty or so yards to Helena's office on autopilot, and when the brunette spotted her in the doorway, she rushed to Felicity's side, slinging an arm around her waist and pulling her inside.

"Felicity!" Helena called her name, but she was already so far gone, it barely registered.

Burying her face in the other woman's neck, she wept freely, letting the pain she'd been holding back out for the first time. "You were right," Felicity cried. "I should have listened to you. I should have been more careful. But I was stupid… So, so stupid…"

"Shh, you're not stupid," Helena whispered, taking Felicity's face in her hands and wiping away the tears that continued to fall down her cheeks. "Why don't I get you cleaned up and then you can tell me what happened?"

"I don't wanna talk about it," Felicity mumbled.

"That's fine, too," Helena said. "Let's just get you cleaned up, then, okay?"

Felicity nodded. She was led to the back of the club, away from the prying eyes of anyone who happened to be working that morning, to Helena's personal quarters that she kept for nights that lasted longer than necessary. Felicity had never personally been inside, but she'd heard they were lavish. When the door was unlocked and opened, she could see the rumors were true.

The room had the exact opposite feel of the club. It was light and airy, painted in white with purple accents. The furniture was simple: just a bed with white and purple sheets, a pair of white painted nightstands, and a large flat screen TV. But the faux windows and the bright white lights that flowed through them were what caught Felicity's attention. It almost looked like sunshine streaming through the white gossamer curtains, the exact opposite of what was going on outside.

"Shoes off, please," Helena said, and Felicity did as she was told, discarding her tennis shoes on a mat beside the door. She instantly felt calm as she stepped onto the plush white carpet beneath her feet. Helena led her across the room to another door and into the bathroom. It was decorated much like the bedroom, all white marble with purple accents. There was a large, antique clawfoot bathtub on one side and a steam shower on the other. Between the two was a vanity with a large mirror that reflected the white lights that streamed from the ceiling.

"Sit down." Helena coaxed her into the round stool in front of the mirror and watched as Felicity gingerly took a seat, hissing when her sore bottom hit the plush, velvety fabric. "Let's take a look and see why there's blood on your shirt. Is that okay?" Helena asked before her hands even got close to the buttons.

Felicity nodded once more. Her body slumped back, allowing her friend to quickly and easily undo the buttons until the shirt was open in the front. With gentle fingers, Helena pushed it off her shoulders and stood stock still when her eyes finally caught sight of the mottled skin beneath. She didn't gasp or make a sound, but she swallowed, letting the shirt slip from her fingers to the floor at Felicity's feet.

"Who did this to you?" Helena finally asked.

A solitary tear slipped down Felicity's cheek and she quickly drew her hand up to wipe it away. She didn't want to remember the previous morning, or the last twenty-four hours for that matter, but this was Helena, the woman who had taken her in and given her a job when she damn well could have tossed her out of the club. This was her friend and probably the only person who could understand what she was going through.

"Sara," Felicity mumbled.

Sighing, Helena moved to the vanity and began opening drawers, taking out supplies she would need in order to clean Felicity's cuts and patch any wounds that needed to be closed. Then she silently got to work, wiping away the blood that was now caked on her flesh. By some miracle, Felicity managed to stay still through the entire process, not even letting out a peep as hydrogen peroxide was poured over the worst of her wounds. The pain of Sara's admission was what kept her silent.  _I wanted_ you  _to break up with_ me _!_ Her words looped through her mind along with what Oliver had said:  _Your plan was to bring another woman into our relationship for the sole purpose of having me fall for her just so I could break up with you…_

His words left Felicity feeling empty on the inside. She knew she shouldn't have set herself up for this. It was her fault for getting so close and falling so hard. It was her fault for loving a man that shouldn't have been loved in the first place.  _Love…_ God, did she really love him? That was improbable, impossible even. How could she fall in love with someone in a little less than a month?

The whole idea made her huff out a laugh, forcing Helena to pause her ministrations. "Did I hurt you?" she softly asked, pulling her hands away from Felicity's torn up back.

"No," came the blonde's reply. "It's just… This is going to sound absolutely absurd, so feel free to interrupt because I have a pretty good feeling I'm about to make a complete ass out of myself, which is perfectly fine because I deserve it after this mess."

Helena pulled another round chair out from beneath the vanity and took a seat facing Felicity. "Go on," she gently encouraged. "Out with it."

"I… think… I… fell in love… with Oliver," Felicity slowly replied. "But I'm pretty sure after what happened this morning with Sara, he most definitely does not feel the same about me."

"What happened with Sara?" Helena asked.

Felicity dove right into the story, telling her everything from the stalker to Sara's outburst to the big confession and Oliver's reaction. It didn't take long, but when she finished, she said, "Now I feel like an absolute idiot for doing this, and I'm pretty sure I'm out four hundred grand and my dream job. I can't believe I could be so stupid. And I can't believe I fell for a client. I should have ended things when I realized my feelings for Oliver had gotten so deep, but I was in denial. I thought I could handle it much like I thought I could handle my stalker, but that blew up in my face too."

"Felicity, you're not stupid," Helena said. "You tried to handle everything yourself and you failed. That doesn't make you stupid. Neither does the fact that you couldn't resist Oliver's charm. Lord knows, many women have fallen for it, and many more will. He's too smooth for his own good. Once a playboy, always a playboy."

"But, he's not like that… Not anymore," Felicity found herself defending him for some odd reason. "Sara really broke his heart today. The only time I've ever seen him this emotional was when he talked about Tommy's death."

Helena stared at her for a moment. "Maybe you're right," she said. "But I wouldn't get my hopes up. Better to be safe than sorry. And right now, that's what you need to be: safe. So why don't you hang out here for a few days? My door is always open, especially for you."

"Right now, I just really want to be alone," Felicity replied.

"And I can totally understand and get behind that," Helena said. "My bedroom is all yours. Stay as long as you like." She got up and went back into the bedroom, returning a few moments later with a new dress shirt that felt just as nice as Oliver's had. "Here, you can wear this. Go take a nap. You look like you could use it."

Felicity didn't protest. She put on the shirt and wandered into the bedroom, slipping beneath the warm white down comforter on Helena's bed and closing her eyes. Although it took her a while to fall asleep, once she was out, the rest of the world faded away.

* * *

"Please, Helena, I need to see her. I need to talk to her."

Through the foggy haze of sleep, Felicity's eyes fluttered open that evening at the sound of Oliver's voice somewhere nearby. Why, she didn't know. Maybe it was the fact that he sounded so desperate and sincere. Maybe it was because he was there, looking for her. Or maybe it was her heart missing him, something she refused to acknowledge as she slowly began to sit up.

Helena stood at the door, her shoulder pressed to the frame with her arms folded out in front of her, a blocking move meant to keep him out of the room. The hard set of her eyes and the angry glare she shot at Oliver was enough to get Felicity out of bed and stumbling forward. When Helena spotted her, she instantly gave up her defensive pose and ran to her side, her arm slipping around Felicity's waist to help her stand.

"Hey, you shouldn't be moving around. That's how you tore out your stitches last time," Helena chided as she turned her around and led her back to the bed. "Lay down and I'll deal with Oliver."

Felicity spotted him over Helena's shoulder, sheepishly standing at the door as he gazed at the women, unsure of whether to come in or not. His concern was clear in his azure eyes as he stared at Felicity, watching her intently as she sat down on the mattress. "It's okay," she replied, gingerly slipping back beneath the covers and laying on her side, the only position she was remotely comfortable in. "Let him in."

"Are you sure?" Helena asked.

"Yeah, he wants to talk, let him talk," Felicity said.

That was all the motivation Oliver needed to step inside the dimly lit room, but he remained a foot or so away from the bed as Helena glared at him before moving back. She left a moment later, closing the door behind her.

Silence stretched between the pair as Oliver stood and Felicity stared up at him. He hadn't said a word since he entered, and the way he shifted from foot to foot made her realize he hadn't come prepared with what he wanted to say. She was getting antsy, waiting for him to speak, and decided to initiate the conversation. "You said you wanted to talk, so talk," she said.

He inched his way closer to the bed. Once at her side, Oliver knelt down so they were eye to eye. "Are you okay?" he hesitantly asked.

Felicity rolled her eyes. "I'm fine," she stoically replied, schooling her features as she stared back at him. "Why are you here, Oliver?"

"I… I want you to come home," he said.

"Home?" she scoffed, her eyes narrowing. "I no longer have a home to go to! My  _home_ was broken into by some psycho stalker not even a week ago! My other quote-unquote  _home_ reminds me of how badly I was beaten yesterday! I don't currently have a place to call home since neither one is safe for me to return to at the moment. So sorry if I don't want to go  _home_  with you because my definition of home is vastly different from yours."

Felicity knew that wasn't the only reason she didn't want to go home with him. Both Oliver and Sara had broken her heart that morning with their painful admissions, and she couldn't deal with it. Not yet, anyway. She needed time to get over the shock of being used in someone else's game. That wasn't something she could just bounce back from and be okay with in a day.

" _Please_ , Felicity." She'd heard Oliver beg before, but nothing had prepared her for the way his voice cracked as he did now. Looking into his red-rimmed azure eyes, she could feel her willpower slipping away. He looked so broken and sad, pleading with her to go with him, but she needed to stay strong. She couldn't let people walk all over her like he and Sara had. She had far more dignity than that.

"No, Oliver," Felicity firmly replied, keeping her emotions in check. "Please, just… go. I can't deal with this right now."

Oliver simply nodded his head, his grief and remorse mirrored in his eyes. "I'm sorry I bothered you," he whispered, finally standing once again.

She turned, ever so gently easing onto her back in order to roll onto her other side away from him, away from the pain in his eyes that was too much to bear. Felicity could feel him reach out, the warmth of his palm hovering over her shoulder before retracting. Quietly, he turned and left the room. When the door shut with a soft click, the tears she'd been holding back finally spilled down her cheeks.

This was not how Felicity expected her evening to go, crying her eyes out into her pillow as the man she loved walked away. Her heart broke, wishing he hadn't given up so quickly, but if there was one thing she understood, it was that Oliver Queen was a man of his word. And if that meant walking away when asked, he would. It still didn't stop her from wishing he was still there.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because certain people don't seem to have manners (borrowed from a friend on Tumblr):
> 
> If you don't like a work by a fanfic author, that's okay.
> 
> If you find the subject matter in a fanfic is not to your taste, that's okay.
> 
> If I personally read something and find I don't like it for any reason, I simply close the tab and move on with my life.
> 
> And, full disclosure: I do this often! There's a lot of stuff out there that is Just Not For Me. There are some fics out there that are wildly popular that I just personally don't get their mass appeal, and there are some fics out there that I feel are absolute hidden gems and I will recommend them often.
> 
> That being said, the one thing I never, ever, ever do is publicly disparage another author's writing or narrative choices or their work as a whole. Even if I think their writing style is not to my liking, or I feel they they make spelling and grammar errors that are distracting, even if I think the sex is badly written, or the plot is boring, or if I think they have written the characters in a way I disagree with. If they don't ask for concrit, I don't give it. I don't give any criticism unsolicited.
> 
> It really, really is disappointing and upsetting when I see folks, especially people who are writers themselves, publicly trashing other authors' works on tumblr and/or leaving shitty comments on their FFN/AO3 chapters. I have had this happen to me before and it really does not feel good. Even if it's just a "I didn't care for this fic", the fact that someone took the time out of their day to tell me so was unnecessary and upsetting. What is the purpose, I wonder, of telling someone something like that?
> 
> Fanfic authors write things for you for no money, for your entertainment. They write for fun and enjoyment and to share their enthusiasm about a fandom with others. Writing is hard work, y'all! It is truly a labor of love and I will never shit on any author that puts pieces out there and tries their best even if I don't care for it. Not everyone is going to produce works that are specifically to everyone's aesthetic tastes, avoiding everyone's specific squicks or triggers. Nor should they.
> 
> Yeah, fandom is not your safe space, sure, but - we don't have to treat one another poorly, either. Be kind to one another, friends.

After spending the rest of Saturday and all day Sunday recuperating in Helena's room at the club, Felicity felt strong enough to venture out into the cold that following Monday morning. After being wrapped in a warm coat her former boss had dug up from the back of her closet, she made her way to her apartment, fully aware that her stalker could ambush her at any time, but unable to care. The past thirty-six hours had turned her heart as cold as the air outside.

Felicity refused to allow her emotions to cloud her mind as she parked in her spot on the curb and got out. Although it was chilly that Monday morning, it was nothing compared to how she felt on the inside. "Ice Queen" probably would have fit her at that moment as she climbed the steps. Entering the new security code she'd changed the previous day into the keypad, she unlocked the door and pushed her way inside to the freezing living room.

Having not been there in quite some time, Felicity glanced around the now unfamiliar space, trying to get accustomed to it once again. She missed this little piece of her life she once called home. It was full of her things, her memories, her dreams, unlike Oliver's penthouse, which now only seemed to harbor her nightmares. Stepping down the hallway into her room, everything looked to be as she'd left it before moving into the penthouse.

This cursory exam of the space was meant to do two things: reacquaint herself with her former home and to see if her stalker had been inside since the last time she was there. So far, everything seemed to be in its rightful place. It still didn't stop Felicity from feeling as if she wanted to crawl out of her skin. And that feeling was exacerbated when she heard a knock at the front door.

She ran toward it, making sure to look through the peephole to see who stood out front, then let out a sigh of relief. Pulling the door open, Felicity plastered on a fake smile and said, "Nice to see you, Dig."

"Felicity," he replied, giving her a short nod before standing up straight again, his hands clasped in front of him. "May I come in?"

"Um, sure…" she answered, stepping aside. Diggle slipped past her and immediately began to scan the room, his eyes piercing through the dark, cold space, searching. Then he moved down the hall, and Felicity had to run to catch up to him. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! What do you think you're doing?" she asked, tucking herself into the doorframe of her bedroom.

"Making sure your apartment is clear," Diggle said, matter-of-factly. "No matter what, I'm still your bodyguard, Felicity."

She sagged against the frame as a deep sigh escaped her lungs. "Did Oliver put you up to this?"

"No, Sara." That name had Felicity doing a double take. Diggle simply smiled at her. "I know you two aren't exactly on the best of terms right now, but she's still concerned about your welfare. I've had my eye on you since you left the penthouse Saturday morning."

"So that's how Oliver knew where I was?"

"He cares about you, too. Only wants what's best for you, so if that means I have to keep my eye on you while he drinks himself to oblivion, then so be it."

"What do you mean, 'drinks himself to oblivion'?" Felicity asked, nudging Diggle back toward the living room so they could take a seat on her couch. "Is Oliver okay?"

"He took better to his breakup with Sara than he's taking to you shutting him out," Diggle said. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he more than cares about you. I'd say the man was head over heels in love with you."

Felicity sat there staring at him for a long time, her lip worried between her teeth. This really didn't help her current state of mind. If anything, it confused her even more. Had Sara's ploy worked? Had he fallen for her like she'd fallen for him? The questions were giving her a headache. Raising her hand to her forehead, she rubbed it for a moment before glancing back at her bodyguard.

"Dig, can you wait here for me while I change and take me to work?" Felicity politely asked, giving him a sweet smile before standing up. Working was the only thing that would take her mind off everything that had happened that weekend. She needed to feel useful instead of used.

"Sure thing," he said. "I'll do a sweep of the perimeter while I wait."

She nodded and slipped into her bedroom. For the first time in what seemed like ages, Felicity put together an outfit that fit her style, not someone else's. She paired black, high waisted dress pants with a simple maroon dress shirt and knee high leather boots that would allow her to step through the fallen snow with ease. A little bit of makeup helped hide the dark circles under her eyes and brightened her face, and she was ready for her first day back at work in nearly a week.

"I'm ready," Felicity announced as she stepped out of her bedroom, slipping on her favorite dark grey pea coat and matching beanie. It was unprofessional, she knew, but at least it would help keep her hair from looking like it hadn't been washed in three days. She didn't have time to do anything that morning aside from brush her teeth and run a comb through her unruly locks before it was time to go.

Diggle stood at her front door, ready and waiting. Felicity slipped into the back seat of his black sedan, and within fifteen minutes, he was pulling into the underground garage beneath Queen Consolidated. Taking a final shaky breath, she let herself out and began to make her way to the elevator.

"Felicity," she heard Diggle call out from the driver's seat. She paused there and waited for him. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me. I'll be in the lobby whenever you'd like to head home." He held out a business card for her and she took it with a smile before turning and heading upstairs to her office.

It was quiet that morning. Felicity had come in a good hour early to beat out the rest of her coworkers. A pile of pink memos was stacked neatly on her desk and she knew getting ahead that morning would help her the rest of the week. She was already backlogged from being out for four days, so playing catch up was the name of the game.

Putting on her headphones and turning up her music, Felicity got to work. She started with the memos, sorting through the easiest things to fix to the hardest and began with the things that would take the least amount of time. So engrossed in her work, she didn't notice her door open and close until the visitor tapped her shoulder.

Felicity nearly jumped out of her chair as she pressed a hand to her chest and looked up. Beside her, Oliver gave her a wistful smile as he stepped back to give her space. She sat down, but not before shooting him an indignant glare. "What do you want, Oliver?" she grumbled, focusing her attention back on the computer screen instead of him.

"I just wanted to see you," he replied. "See if, maybe, you were willing to talk to me about what happened this weekend."

"I've got a lot of work to do," Felicity dismissed him without a second glance. She knew it was callous and petty, but Oliver didn't seem to get the hint sometimes. She wasn't ready to talk about that weekend. It didn't matter if he wanted to. It was her decision, and right now, she wanted to be left alone.

"Okay," Oliver said, quietly retreating from her desk. "I'll just leave this here, then. When you're ready to talk, you know where to find me." He then placed a large white envelope on the corner of her desk and turned to leave.

Felicity waited for the door to shut before she reached for it. Inside she found the key to her necklace in a little zip top bag along with a packet of signed documents declaring their contract terminated and a bank account number and access code for the four hundred thousand dollars they had agreed to. The last page was a note in Oliver's handwriting, dated that morning.

_Dear Felicity,_

_I'm sorry for everything that happened this weekend. I know it's wrong for me to blame myself for the events that led to the inevitable, but I feel responsible for putting you in this position. If it wasn't for me trying to fix something I knew was far too broken to be salvaged, you never would have been put through the pain you endured these past three days._

_We might not currently be on speaking terms, but I just wanted you to know that you've done so much for me that I couldn't think of any other way to thank you. Please accept this as a token of my appreciation. If you ever decide that I may be worthy of your time, don't hesitate to find me._

_Again, I'm sorry for what happened. I regret putting you in the middle of this thing with Sara and if I could take it back, change the past so you never got hurt, I would, in a heartbeat._

_Missing you more than words can describe,_

_Oliver_

Feeling her heart jump into her throat, Felicity pushed away from her desk and ran out of her office to try and catch him. She saw his retreating back disappear behind the glass door as he headed for the elevator. "Oliver!" she called out to him as her feet carried her past row upon row of cubicles that were slowly becoming occupied with her coworkers. "Oliver, wait!"

Somehow she managed to catch up to him just as the elevator door opened to reveal several more of her coworkers, including Carrie, filing out to begin their shift. Felicity ignored the redhead as she eyed them suspiciously while Oliver turned to face her. That wistful smile had reappeared on his face as he gazed down at her.

"Felicity," he all but whispered, reaching out for her, but she stepped back. His hand dropped to his side when he realized she wasn't going to allow him to touch her, at least not yet.

"I read your letter," Felicity quietly replied, hoping none of her curious coworkers caught what she said. She took one step closer and added, "Thank you."

"It's the least I could do," Oliver said, reaching for her once more. This time, she let him take her hands in his, letting him give them a gentle squeeze. "Does this mean you're willing to talk to me… about what happened? About… maybe coming back?"

"One thing at a time," she whispered, tangling their fingers together and giving him a warm smile in return.

Oliver leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I'll wait for you, however long it takes," he murmured against her ear before straightening back up and letting go of her hands. She watched as he disappeared into the elevator, his eyes never leaving hers as they grinned at each other.

Feeling lighter than she had that morning, Felicity began her trek back to her office. But she hadn't even cleared the glass doors when Carrie stepped in front of her, hands on her hips, eyes narrowed on the blonde. "You are such a hypocrite," she said. "All that 'Holier-than-thou' bullshit you've been spewing… It's about to come back and bite you in the ass."

"What the hell are you talking about, Carrie?" Felicity shot back.

"Don't tell me that little  _display_ outside by the elevator was nothing. You two have been banging ever since he called you into his office last month. Besides, I saw the way you looked at him. Even a blind man could see," Carrie taunted. "You're in love with him."

Felicity scoffed then huffed out a bitter laugh. "Whatever you say, Cutter," she replied, pushing past her.

"Hmm… I wonder what his girlfriend would say if she found out," Carrie said, her voice rising so that almost everyone in the office could hear her.

"Girlfriend?" Felicity incredulously shot back, stopping and turning to glare at her. "He doesn't have a girlfriend."

"A statement like that kinda makes me wonder how you would even know. Oh, right, that's because I found that search you did into Sara Lance while you were away. Hmm… Trying to scope out the competition? Possibly. And I can't forget the inquiry on the man himself. I must commend you, though. That was a pretty thorough search you did, digging up his past transgressions through tabloid sources. Job well done, Miss Smoak."

"You hacked into my computer?" Felicity seethed, her hands balling into fists at her side. That was a dirty thing to do, going through her computer, but she could easily explain it away just so long as the redhead hadn't touched any of the more sensitive documents she had hidden on her hard drive.

"It's not hacking when you left it unlocked in the first place," Carrie replied. "What you did on the Verdant servers, now  _that's_ what I would call hacking. Isn't that a federal crime?" Felicity's mouth hung open as she stared at Carrie much like she'd stared at her the previous week. The redhead leaned in, her voice dropping as she added, "Who's playing with fire now, Smoak? Consider this a lesson in how to get the upper hand, which, by my calculations, I now have."

"Oh, really?" Felicity said, narrowing her eyes at Carrie. The woman told her everything she needed to know, and from the looks of it, her files were still safe. "I guess you neglected to find the copies of the videos showing you having sex in that supply closet on the Accounting floor. Or the videos of you harassing me in the break room. What about the draft of the email that's sitting in my inbox with everything I've just mentioned ready to be sent to H.R.? Because it's pretty obvious to me that you don't know the first thing about playing dirty, Cutter, otherwise you would have deleted all those files sitting on my hidden drive."

Barely a moment passed between the time Felicity finished her smack down and when Carrie lunged at her, letting out a high pitched scream before her fist connected with Felicity's mouth. She definitely hadn't seen that coming. The pain disoriented her, forcing her to wobble in her boots, but then Carrie started attacking her again, this punching Felicity in the stomach and knocking her to the ground. She fell to the floor, her hands shielding her face as she curled up into the fetal position trying her hardest to avoid Carrie's wrath.

But the woman was nowhere close to done. The toe of her cheap stilettos caught Felicity in the ribs, the pain searing through her instantly. This time, she grabbed Carrie's ankle, knocking her feet out from under her and forcing the fiery redhead to fall beside her. Now on equal footing, Felicity rolled on top of her, punching Carrie once, twice, three times before someone forcibly grabbed her and pulled her away from the prone woman.

A circle of coworkers had gathered around them, cheering them on, the shouts of "Fight! Fight! Fight!" echoing all throughout the I.T. department. Security personnel were just making their way through the crowd when Felicity spotted a familiar face among them. Diggle was immediately at her side, helping her out of the grasp of the nameless coworker that had pulled her away from Carrie. She sagged against him as he pulled her out into the hall and toward the elevator.

She couldn't remember what happened after that, but the next thing she knew, she was standing in front of Oliver's desk. Carrie also stood there, several feet away with Diggle standing between the two women. Felicity could see Oliver's lips moving, but it took her a moment to understand what he was saying.

"Miss Cutter, your employment with Queen Consolidated is hereby terminated. Security will escort you off the premise and if you ever show your face in this building again, I will call the police. Understood?" he barked, making Carrie jump slightly. She nodded her head, and before Felicity even knew what was happening, the woman was being led out of Oliver's office, flanked by two uniformed security guards.

Felicity continued to stand, her weight shifting from foot to foot as she tried to get her bearings. It felt like the world was spinning out of control around her, crashing and burning with every minute that ticked by. She didn't even see Oliver stand up once the elevator doors shut on the woman that had nearly ruined her life, or the fact that he'd turned on the privacy glass that hid his office from prying eyes. It wasn't until his hands were cupping her cheeks that she finally noticed him standing in front of her, worry etched deep on his face.

"Felicity?" Oliver called out to her when her eyes failed to focus on him. "Felicity, baby, are you okay?" She didn't know when the tears started falling down her cheeks, but she could feel the wetness being brushed off her skin with his thumbs.

"I… I was only defending myself. She hit me first. I didn't want to hurt her!" Felicity sobbed. Before she knew it, Oliver's arms were wrapped around her, enveloping her in the warmth of his embrace.

"Shh… It's okay," he murmured. "She's not going to hurt you or threaten you anymore. I promise."

Felicity pulled back, her tears blurring her vision as she replied, "But she will! She hacked into my computer and found out I had looked into you and Sara and I'm pretty sure she'll go to the press and make all our lives a living hell!"

"Hey, no. She's not going to do that," Oliver tried to reassure her as his hand reached up to cradle her cheek. "She signed a nondisclosure agreement that could result in some major legal ramifications if she even tried to speak to the press." It still didn't stop her from nearly hyperventilating. "Breathe, Felicity," he said, taking her hand and placing it on his chest. "Breathe with me."

After a few moments of struggling to focus on the task, she finally began to match her breaths with the steady rise and fall of Oliver's chest. After a couple of minutes, Felicity had calmed down enough for him to lead her to the leather couch in the sitting area in front of his desk. He sat down first then pulled her into his lap, cradling her body in his arms as her head nestled against his shoulder.

"Are you feeling any better?" Oliver asked. His hand pulled the beanie off her head, letting it drop to the couch at his side so his lips could press kisses to her forehead.

"A little," Felicity replied. Her head settled in the crook of his neck where she took solace in the fact that she'd never have to endure Carrie's nasty remarks ever again. This spot was her little slice of heaven in a world where hell had no bounds. The past didn't matter here. It was just her and Oliver tucked away from the evils of the world, even if it was just for a few minutes.

A clearing throat from behind them had Felicity stiffening in his arms, but Oliver remained relaxed. Stepping in front of them was Diggle. "Mr. Queen," he said. "The ice you requested."

"Thanks, Dig," Oliver replied as he took the two towel wrapped ice packs. With his free hand, he tilted Felicity's chin up and pressed one ice pack against her mouth. It stung and she hissed, but after a moment it began feeling better. "She got you pretty good," he said, taking her left hand and covering the ice with it while he slipped the second pack over the knuckles of her other hand. "And apparently you did a decent job defending yourself, too."

Felicity simply nodded. Her head came to rest against his shoulder once more, only this time she closed her eyes. "Just rest, baby," Oliver whispered into her ear.

But that rest wouldn't last long. Just as Felicity began to doze off, the safety of his arms keeping her warm and protected from the world around them, the door to Oliver's office suddenly burst open with Isabel saying, "Miss Queen, you can't go in there! Your brother is in the middle of an important meeting!"

"Important meeting, my ass!" another female voice retorted as the sound of stomping high heels had Felicity jumping off Oliver's lap, ice packs flying in all directions.

She stumbled in her boots, tripping over her feet as she tried to scramble away from her boss, but she was already falling, her hands spread out in front of her. Felicity hit the ground at the other woman's high heeled feet, pain radiating out from where her palms landed on the cold marble floor. Gazing up, she found a short brunette with curly hair and big hazel eyes staring down at her, mouth wide open in shock. She then placed her hands on her hips, her glare directed at the man behind them.

"Really, Ollie?" she asked, her voice rising an octave in anger. "You've stooped to Dad's level?"

"Thea!" Oliver practically shouted.

But Felicity had already put two and two together. She had fallen face first in front of Thea Queen, Oliver's little sister. The shock and horror that crossed her features wasn't lost on the younger woman. In fact, Thea gave her a derisive smile before stepping over her.

"Excuse me for barging in on your sexy fun times with the flavor of the month, but you and I were supposed to be at Table Salt half an hour ago for brunch with my boyfriend," Thea said. "I literally just got in from Paris this morning and the first thing I wanted to do was see you. But, like always, you forgot."

"Thea, I swear, I didn't forget," Oliver replied as he sidestepped his sister and took Felicity's elbow, helping her to her feet. "There was a situation that I needed to take care of…"

"Let me guess, it involved your dick?" she spat back.

"It's nothing like that!" he yelled.

"Yeah, right." Thea rolled her eyes. "Does Sara know about your side piece?"

"Okay, that's enough!" Oliver growled. "First off, Felicity is not a side piece and you're going to stop disrespecting her this minute. Second, she was involved in an altercation with another employee this morning, which was why I couldn't make it to brunch. I had to deal with that."

"Oh, really?" The incredulity Felicity saw in his sister's eyes told her she didn't believe a word her brother said. "Then why was she on your  _lap_?"

It was at that moment Felicity decided she needed to go. Her life had already been ruined enough that morning. The last thing she wanted was for Oliver's sister to think she was just some office slut wanting her brother's attention. Wordlessly, she pulled away from him, keeping her head low as she practically ran out of the office. If it hadn't been for the pain in her ribs where Carrie had kicked her, she probably would have escaped a lot faster, but as was her luck, Oliver ran after her.

"Felicity, wait!" he shouted before grabbing her arm and pulling her so she spun toward him as they reached the elevators.

"Let go, Oliver," she replied in a shaky voice, her eyes remaining on her toes.

"I'm sorry about Thea," he started to say, but she cut him off.

"No," Felicity said. "Just let me go, Oliver. I can't do this anymore." Tears slid down her cheeks as she finally gazed up at him to see the hurt flashing in his azure eyes.

"Felicity,  _please_ ," he quietly begged, raising his hands to her face, but she stepped out of his reach, shaking her head.

"My life, my reputation, it's already been ruined. Please just let me have my dignity," she whispered as more tears streamed down her face. He didn't speak, didn't move, just watched her as she got on the elevator and let the doors close behind her.

Wanting to avoid anyone and everyone, Felicity rode the elevator down to the garage, completely bypassing Diggle where he stood in the lobby after having left Oliver's office. On the street corner, she hailed a cab and asked to be driven to her apartment. It was a little after ten in the morning, and the streets of Starling City had been cleared of rush hour traffic making the ride only about ten minutes long. But it felt like she was being transported miles away from the insanity that surrounded her.

Being back in her apartment that morning made Felicity realize just how much she missed her true home. No crazy stalker could ever take that away from her. It was her sanctuary, her safe haven. With her nerves already frayed to their very edges, she didn't bother going through each of her rooms to see if anyone was there. She simply flopped down on the couch and closed her eyes, hoping to forget everything that had happened that morning.

But a hand on her mouth and one around her throat immediately startled her awake. Her eyes went wide behind her glasses and she tried to struggle away from the iron grasp of the person holding her, but she was no match for his strength. His entire arm slid around her throat, effectively blocking off her supply of oxygen. Felicity tried to scream and bite at the hand on her mouth, but there was a cloth barrier between it and her teeth. Soon, she began to feel light headed and drowsy, the world dimming around her as she inhaled the drug soaked into the gag.

The last thing she remembered was the chilling voice that whispered into her ear, "It's nice to see you again,  _Felicity_."


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Warning: This chapter contains graphic depictions of rape and violence. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!**
> 
>  
> 
> I've been warning y'all this chapter was going to come with a trigger warning, and there it is.
> 
> Please don't hate me.

She slipped in and out of consciousness for what seemed like hours, her mind floating to faraway places, away from Oliver, away from Starling City, away from everything. It was a nice place, a comfortable place, one she didn't mind being in until someone slapped her across the face, forcing her out of the dream world. Felicity's eyes popped open only to be assaulted by bright white lights. She struggled for a moment, trying to lift her hand to shield herself from the blinding light, but found her arms immobilized.

Fear quickly blossomed in the pit of her stomach and crawled up her spine as her eyes widened, attempting to focus on the room she was being held in. She was surrounded by dank grey cinder block walls and storage units that were rarely ever seen by their owners and realized she'd been taken into the basement of her building. The light above her came from a bank of fluorescent bulbs hanging from the ceiling, some of which flickered giving the place and eerie feel.

"Hello, my love," the chillingly familiar voice she'd heard just before passing out said. Her head whipped toward it, seeking out its owner. Who she saw made Felicity's skin crawl.

Beside her stood a man she hadn't seen in several years. His blue eyes were colder than she remembered them, and his features no longer resembled the boyish teenager she'd fallen in love with in her youth. No, he was all hard lines and harsh angles, aged by the time he'd spent in prison. He wore a black cotton t-shirt beneath a black leather jacket and a pair of dark, stone washed jeans that fit his body to a tee, outlining the hard muscle he'd developed during his time away.

"Cooper?" Felicity breathed, her mind still trying to wrap around the fact that her ex-boyfriend, the one who'd nearly beaten her to death all those years ago, was standing right there in front of her. "How the hell did you get out of jail?"

He laughed a cold laugh and replied, "I see you haven't changed a bit since college. Well, your hair is a little different, blonde instead of jet black with purple streaks, but you're still as blunt as you ever were." Cooper stood there, his arms crossed over his chest, just staring at her, watching her, taking her in before he added, "Let's just say, I've been doing some  _things_ for the government on the down low and for said favors, they commuted my sentence and released me a month ago." Then he gave her a cocky grin, his teeth bared, and it made her skin crawl.

Felicity shuddered. In all honesty, she hadn't expected an answer, but here he was, spewing truths left and right, it seemed. If she remembered all her favorite crime dramas correctly, that meant she was in a world of trouble. But unlike those shows, it looked as if she wasn't going to get out of this unscathed. It made her skin grow cold as she stared up at him from where he'd tied her to a rusty old folding chair.

"Is that how long you've been stalking me?" Felicity asked, her voice wavering only slightly even though her fears seemed to multiply tenfold for just asking the question out loud.

"No, love," Cooper answered, his grin turning even more sinister. "I've been watching you for a very long time." Her blood froze in her veins. He walked around her, pacing the floor as her eyes followed his body from where it went back and forth across the cement. "I've been watching you since you took your I.T. job with Queen Consolidated. I've been watching you since you started working your side job at Verdant. You know, the one where you turn into the slut you truly are."

"How… How did you know about that?" This time, Felicity's voice was full on shaking as her face fell at his words. For the last three years, he'd been keeping an eye on her, and she had no clue how.

"You aren't very discreet," Cooper deadpanned as he stopped his pacing and stared at her, smiling that creepy, toothy grin that made her feel more and more uncomfortable by the minute. "Once my...  _associate_ found you, he tailed you everywhere you went, figured out your routine. For almost three years, you did the same thing every week: go to work, come home, change, eat dinner, then head to Verdant. Your weekends were spent grocery shopping, relaxing in front of your TV watching your favorite shows, and drinking copious amounts of wine. I must say, that's very bad for your liver."

Felicity couldn't believe what she was hearing. For the past three years, someone had been watching her, spying on her for this evil piece of trash that now stood in front of her. Bile rose in her throat much like it had that evening in Barry's hospital room, only now no one was there to hold her hair while she threw up, so she swallowed it down. How could she have not known? How had she not sensed it until just recently? It made her wonder just how much information had been gathered about her, whether Cooper knew about what she'd done for Oliver.

Oh, god, Oliver! Her blood ran cold just thinking about him. Somehow Felicity had managed to inadvertently involve him in something that had the potential to ruin his life just as much as it could ruin hers. But then Cooper was speaking again, forcing her to focus on his words for clarity.

"But then, last month, things changed," he said. "After three years of watching you, my associate became obsessed. He told me he fantasized about dominating you, beating you into submission, and stupidly, I told him to go and enjoy himself, just so long as he didn't ruin my endgame."

Felicity swallowed.  _Endgame_. Cooper Seldon obviously had a plan in mind for her, and she couldn't help the hairs that stood up on the back of her neck. Not for the first time since she'd woken up, Felicity silently prayed for someone to come down into the basement and find them, to call the police, to get her the hell out of there, but she'd seen enough television to know Cooper had probably locked the door, maybe even barricaded it. He was a genius, after all, only a couple IQ points lower than her.

"He knew you were nothing but a two bit whore," Cooper continued. "I told him as much. He still wanted you, though. So I indulged him. He had been keeping his eye on you for three years after all. Might as well return the favor. So I created a fake identity, made him out to be this impressive businessman with millions of dollars to spend even though he wasn't. I knew the club's clientele, so it was easy turning him into one of those people."

"How did you get the hundred thousand dollars?" Felicity asked. She'd already put two and two together. Adam Cray was Cooper's associate. He was the one that had assaulted her in the club. Everything that had happened after that night was slowly becoming clearer and clearer.

"Oh, Felicity… For someone so smart, you certainly seem to ask a lot of stupid questions," Cooper replied. "Why don't you take a guess and I'll tell you if you're right or wrong?"

"You stole it, didn't you?" she spat, her eyes narrowing at him.

"Ding! Ding! Ding!" he practically sang. "Give the lady a prize!" Felicity couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. She was angry that the money in her safe deposit box belonged to someone else and, if she got out of this alive, she'd find who it belonged to and return it immediately, with interest.

"So, what then? What changed?" Felicity asked, hoping to prolong their conversation in a desperate bid to gain precious minutes that could save her life.

"He went too far, didn't follow the rules, which you should remember.  _You're_ the one who had him kicked out.  _You're_ the one who screwed up all my carefully laid plans, just like you always did," Cooper seethed as his eyes narrowed on her and his hands balled into fists at his sides. His face contorted in anger, an ugly frown crossing his lips. "I had to take matters into my own hands, then. Ray's still mad that I sidelined him, but he'll get over it soon enough."

"Ray?" she shot back, her eyes widening in horror. "As in Ray Palmer?" How was he the same guy that had attacked her at Verdant? They barely even looked the same! The man she had seen all those weeks ago hadn't had as much muscle mass as the Ray Palmer she'd met in Oliver's office a week ago. Even his facial features had seemed different, less defined.

Cooper's frown morphed into a twisted grin as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You're very perceptive, Felicity," he commended. "I'm surprised you managed to figure out that little twist, especially with the amount of prosthetics he used that night in Verdant. Yes, Ray Palmer has been spying on you for quite some time."

"But, how? He's been working with Dr. Wells in San Francisco for the past two years."

"His little nanobots are quite the invention," Cooper replied. "You see, he's been planting them on you, perfecting the technology since he began his work in San Francisco. You were his test subject and he's made leaps and bounds in the field of nanotechnology all because of you. Be proud of yourself, Felicity. You have no idea how much you've advanced science without even knowing it."

"Oh, god," she groaned. For the past two years, the nanotechnology she so proudly spoke of to Oliver had been used to spy on her, invade her privacy, and put her in danger. Now she understood his reservations in allowing Palmer to continue his research at Queen Consolidated. She would have too knowing how he'd achieved so much success in so little time. It made her stomach flip just knowing these tiny little robots could do so much damage without being detected.

A huff of a laugh escaped Cooper's lips. "If it wasn't for his microscopic bugs, I might have lost you again."

"What do you mean?" Felicity's eyes narrowed on him. She understood what he was getting at, considering everything Ray had done to track her whereabouts. Now she was angry that it had possibly reached another level of creepy she wasn't comfortable with.

"You see, once you started secretly dating Oliver Queen, you seemed to disappear off the map. You stopped going to your apartment. I couldn't see you entering or leaving Queen Consolidated. Your habits became unpredictable, and I couldn't figure out where you were going. I put Ray up to submitting his resume knowing it would catch your boyfriend's attention. And when he got the call for the interview, my plan was soon back on track."

"How's that?"

"Ray has a thing for magic. He's very good at sleight of hand. Well, that and the technology he planted on you was so tiny, it never would have been noticed in the first place."

"What  _technology_?"

"Nanites smaller than a grain of sand. He slipped them into your drink and viola! Instant tracking device."

Felicity's stomach rolled. Again, she felt bile at the back of her throat. Cooper had been stalking her using unsanctioned technology that tracked her whereabouts like a personalized GPS. She wanted to cry, to scream, to wrap her hands around his grubby little throat for doing what he had done to her, but Cooper had the upper hand, and she was powerless to stop him.

"If you've had me followed all this time, then why did you send me the flowers and the pictures? Why did you break into my apartment and steal the necklace? More importantly, how did you break into my apartment?" Felicity asked, trying to keep the waver out of her voice but failing.

"Because I wanted to keep you on your toes until everything fell into place," Cooper answered. "Besides, did you really think it would be that hard to break into your security system? You've been using the same type of encryption key since college."

"Then why did you almost kill Barry?" she practically shouted, feeling angry and hurt that he'd do something like this.

"I couldn't let some lowly CSI unravel my plan before it was complete," he said. "And last I heard, he was still alive."

"Yeah, in a  ** _coma_**!" Felicity spat.

He shrugged, giving her an uninterested look before he began his pacing once more.

Not only was she angry about Barry now, she was still seething about Cooper's ability to circumvent her security system. It had taken her over a year to perfect that encryption key. When she'd shown it to him back in college, he'd been proud of her. But now… She was livid that he'd used it against her.

"So, what?" Felicity asked. "Everything finally fell into place?"

Cooper stopped in front of her, that creepy grin plastered on his face. "That is correct," he replied. "Although, I do have to say, that little altercation this morning was an unexpected surprise. It definitely accelerated my timetable, which I am very happy about because now Ray and I have more time to enjoy the fruits of our labor."

If Felicity had been scared earlier, she was absolutely terrified now. Whatever plans Cooper had for her were definitely the kind nightmares were made of. And now that he'd mentioned Ray, she had a feeling he was somewhere nearby, waiting for his partner in crime to make the call or give the signal or do whatever it was to bring him down into this hellhole.

With the situation so dire, Felicity decided to ask one more important question. Considering Cooper was in such a talkative mood, she had no doubt he'd answer her.

"Why are you telling me all this?" Felicity asked, watching him as he stepped behind her. She could hear him unzip something and the sudden pang of dread washed over her. "What do you want, Cooper?"

"Do you really have to ask?" he replied once he was in front of her again, that sinister grin plastered on his face. In his hand he held a syringe full clear liquid. Cooper leaned over her, his breath hot on her ear, and whispered, "I want revenge."

The needle was jammed into her arm and Felicity screamed, "What did you inject me with?"

"A little special concoction Ray cooked up for me that's a mix of curare to paralyze you so you won't scream and alert the neighbors, and just a touch of pyridostigmine to keep you breathing because what I have planned for you wouldn't work if you were dead. I never would have guessed he was just as good with chemistry as he was with nanotech. He tried it on a few street whores before he perfected the formula, and then it was a thing of beauty! We managed to keep one bitch under for a good two days before her body gave out. That saddened me because she was loads of fun! Anyway, it should take effect in…" Cooper looked down at his watch and smiled as he began the countdown, "Three… Two… One. Feel it now, love?"

Sure enough, Felicity felt the effects of the drugs as soon as he said  _one_. "You sick bastard!" she managed to mutter before her entire body began feeling weak. Moments later she slumped back in the chair, her eyes and mouth open as she stared up at the ceiling in terror. In her chest, her heart beat wildly, anticipating the horrors Cooper had in store for her. But nothing could have prepared her for what he actually did.

Untying her arms and legs, he slung Felicity's prone body over his shoulder and led her out of the basement through the back door of her apartment. She tried to scream, to make some kind of noise, but just as Cooper had mentioned, her vocal cords were paralyzed. She felt trapped in her body, unable to do anything aside from watch in horror as he took her through the kitchen straight into the bedroom.

All the curtains were shut and blocked out with black plastic. The only light came from the two small lamps on either side of her bed. Cooper dumped her body on the mattress and immediately Felicity felt more plastic beneath her. Flashes of terrible things she'd seen on TV ran through her mind on a loop. This was how the best serial killers dealt with their victims. A cold chill ran down her spine as she blinked her eyes, probably the only working muscles in her body aside from her heart and lungs at that moment.

"Well done, Ray," Cooper commended his partner, who suddenly appeared at the bedroom door wearing a similar outfit to her ex-boyfriend's and eating an apple.

"What can I say?" Ray replied. " _Dexter_  always was my favorite show!"

Tears appeared in Felicity's eyes as her breathing became ragged. Although she had only seen a handful of episodes, she knew how the plot went. Their plan was to torture her and kill her once they were done, and there was nothing she could do to stop them. Closing her eyes, she waited for their first move, which came in the form of Cooper methodically removing her clothing. Her shirt was slowly unbuttoned, revealing the pale, bruised skin beneath.

"Damn, what happened to her?" Ray asked as he threw the finished apple core into the trash can beside dresser.

"Not sure," Cooper replied. "I heard she got into a fight with some other bitch on the I.T. floor and basically got her ass kicked."

"That doesn't exactly look like getting your ass kicked in a fight," Ray pointed out. "Those marks look like they were made with a flogger, maybe metal by the shape of the bruises."

"Maybe Oliver Queen has a dark side we don't know about." They turned to each other and laughed. "Who would have thought? Maybe Richie Rich has a thing for dominating the ladies."

Felicity felt another cold chill run down her spine at the mention of Oliver's name. She was glad they didn't know about his involvement with Sara, saving her a world of worry. If there was one person she hoped would get out of this unscathed, it was Oliver. Right now, thinking about him was the only thing keeping her sane. No matter what had happened between them in the hours leading up to this moment, she knew he cared about her.

Ray's voice brought her out of her reverie when he asked, "Mind if I take off her pants?"

"By all means! You deserve it after having to put up with her shit for so long."

Ray's grubby hands grabbed the button of her dress pants to remove it from its hole before the zipper was dragged down. Then they dipped into the waistband and yanked down the cotton material, leaving her in the black panties she'd put on that morning. "God, my cock is getting so hard just looking at her like this," Ray commented, running his hand over the growing bulge in his jeans. "This was how I wished our night had gone, but the bitch just couldn't submit like a good little whore. Now I can't wait to destroy her like I always wanted to. Thanks for the opportunity, man. Who knew my tech and your code would finally culminate in this."

"I always knew, bro," Cooper replied, fist-bumping his partner before beginning to strip. "Now, why don't we finally give this slut what she's had coming for all these years of putting me away to rot in jail while she went out and had the good life?"

"I think the better question is, which hole would you like to destroy first?"

Felicity's eyes widened as her gaze darted between the two now naked men. They both looked terrifying in this low light, looming above her as they grinned at each other in morbid excitement. Never in her twenty-five years of life had she expected something like this to happen to her, at least not in this context. Being an attractive female, she'd always been warned about men like Cooper and Ray out on the street, and she'd prepared herself accordingly, keeping mace in her purse and a baseball bat next to her door. But this elaborate plan? Nothing could have prepared her for that.

"Hmm…" Cooper sauntered over to the side of the bed. He reached out with one hand, stroking over her bare skin as she lay prone and unable to move, while the other pumped over his hardening cock. If Felicity could flinch, she would have, but immobilized by the drug cocktail she'd been given, all she could do was lay there and take the torture these two men were about to inflict on her.

"It's been awhile since I've had my dick down someone's throat. I think I'll take her mouth," he said, his fingertips brushing over her lips making Felicity wish she had could control of her jaw just so she could bite them off.

"Good, because I've been fantasizing about raping her ass ever since that night I got kicked out of her club," Ray replied, positioning himself between her legs and spreading them out until she was completely open to him. Then he yanked off her panties and threw them somewhere behind him. His hands dipped between her thighs, stroking up and down along the smooth skin until he reached her apex. Tears leaked from Felicity's eyes as Ray spread her slit open and began to finger her while Cooper straddled her head, his cock and balls falling on her face. Then the true violation began.

Grabbing her chin, Cooper pried her mouth open. Felicity knew what came next when he grabbed his cock and began rubbing the tip across her open lips, spreading his leaking precum all over them. Although she couldn't see his face from how he had positioned himself over her, she knew that vile grin had plastered itself on his lips. Then, without warning, he plunged his cock down her throat, causing her to gag almost immediately. Hands wrapped around her throat, tilting her head back until he could slide into her unobstructed then tightening until she gasped for breath.

"That's it, cunt! Serve your purpose!" Cooper grunted as he pounded into her relentlessly.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Felicity felt another pair of hands grab her ankles, throwing her legs open further as they tilted her hips up until her ass was off the bed. "Hey, help a bro out," Ray said as he let go of one of her ankles. She felt Cooper's hold on her throat loosen as one of his hands grabbed her free leg, keeping it hoisted up as Ray grabbed his cock and began running it over her spread pussy.

"Fuck, this is so hot!" he said, pressing it against the tight hole of her anus. Then, just like Cooper, Ray thrust into her without warning, and the searing pain of being unprepared for penetration shot through Felicity's body. Tears leaked from her eyes as he pulled out and thrust back in, sending a new jolt of agony up her spine. "Take it, whore. Take every inch of my fat cock up your ass, you stupid fucking slut," Ray moaned.

"I wish we didn't have to drug her," Cooper lamented between thrusts. "I really would have loved to hear her scream."

Ray laughed, "As much as I like docile cunts, there's something about a screaming, struggling whore that gets me so fucking hard, but the last thing we need is for the neighbors to call the cops on us."

"Yeah," Cooper agreed. "Don't wanna end the fun too early." They both laughed again and continued with their frenzied thrusts as Felicity cried beneath them, her tears streaming down her cheeks as they took turns violating her.

For the next four hours, the two men did despicable and unfathomable things to her, things she had only read about in horror stories. They gagged her, they beat her, they violated every inch of her body with their own or with whatever objects they could find, and they still weren't done yet. But they were taking a break, leaving Felicity to lie there covered in their bodily fluids while they laughed and joked about what to do next. If they were going to continue with this torture, she preferred death.

Feeling completely and totally violated, Felicity felt more tears streak down her semen coated cheeks and falling to the plastic beneath her head. Every part of her body ached and burned from the way they'd twisted and contorted her limbs, turning her into a human pretzel to serve whatever sick purpose they had in mind for her. At one point, Cooper had flipped her over, pressing her face into the plastic as he twisted her left arm until a sickening pop came from her shoulder. The pain had seared through her much like it had when they'd forced themselves into her the first time that day as he and Ray laughed.

"I think you dislocated her shoulder, bro," Ray had said.

"Bitch won't need it when we're done with, so what does it matter?" Cooper had replied, laughing once again as he'd grabbed her hair, forcing Felicity's head to snap back and her back to bow almost unnaturally. She had continued to cry, partly because of the pain in her shoulder, but mostly because she knew this would certainly end in her death once they were done "playing" with her.

The only thought that had gone through her mind after that moment was the fact that she hadn't told Oliver how she felt. If she died that day, he'd never know she loved him. Regret pooled in her belly as more tears dripped down her cheeks. Felicity would have done anything to turn back the clock and go back to that morning and instead of running away from him after the confrontation with Thea, she would have stayed and listened to him. He had tried to comfort her, tried to defend her after his sister called her a side piece, and all Felicity had done was shut him out. Looking back on it now, her chest felt heavy with regret. Oliver hadn't deserved her cold shoulder.

Ten minutes after Cooper and Ray took their break, they came back, cocks in hand, and started all over again. Felicity did everything in her power to block it all out as another dose of their drug was injected into her system. She let her mind drift and her eyes unfocus as they continued to violate her in ways she never thought possible. Time became a pointless concept. She didn't know how many hours passed, only that the longer they played their sick game, the less her mind would try to retain.

Almost completely out of it, she never noticed the loud bangs of her front door being kicked open, or the shouts coming from her living room. She barely noticed the weight of the two men's bodies suddenly disappearing from on top of hers. She thought they were just changing positions again. It wasn't until she felt someone lifting her into their arms did her mind suddenly return to the present.

Gazing up, Felicity saw a familiar face staring back at her.  _Oliver!_  she wanted to cry out as relief spread through her battered body, but the drug Cooper had given her still pulsed through her veins, rendering her numb all over.

"Felicity," Oliver murmured as he held her close. "Felicity!" he said, a little more loudly this time when she didn't,  _couldn't_ answer him back. Fear and panic overflowed from his azure eyes as he gently set her down on the floor beside her bed. His fingers frantically searched for a pulse against the side of her neck and she could feel them tremble as he waited for confirmation that she was, indeed, alive. Felicity wanted to reach out, place her hand on his cheek and reassure him that she was, but he soon sighed with relief and her eyes drifted up until they locked on his.

"Oh, god, Felicity!" Oliver breathed, his voice cracking as his hand came up to cup her soiled cheek. "What have they done to you?"

Tears began dripping from her eyes as she tried not to think about what had happened and what his reaction would be when he found out. Instead, Felicity focused on the warmth of his palm against her face and the comfort his presence provided her.

Oliver grabbed a discarded shirt from off the floor and began wiping away the remnants of what she had just been subjected to. When the fluids were mostly gone, he stripped out of his black pea coat and wrapped her in it then cradled her against his chest. "It's okay, baby," he whispered. "I'm here now. You're safe. They'll never hurt you again. Just… Please be okay. I can't lose you too."

Felicity could feel the tears that dripped down Oliver's cheeks as they landed on her skin. He held her a little tighter, rocking back and forth until a set of loud footsteps stomped into the room.

"I've got them subdued and tied up in the living room, Mr. Queen," Diggle said from somewhere close by. "SCPD is on its way along with an ambulance. But there's something in the kitchen you need to see."

Nodding, Oliver stood, hoisting her up with him, refusing to let her go. As they left her bedroom, he tucked Felicity's head into his chest, shielding her from the men who had attacked her, but she could still see the mess that had been made in the process of subduing them. They both lay on the floor, face down and naked, their arms and legs zip-tied together. Blood dripped from several surfaces, including the edge of her couch and the coffee table, and she couldn't help but wonder if they were unconscious or dead.

"What is that?" Oliver growled, drawing her attention away from the prone men. Felicity strained her eyes to see what he was talking about, but couldn't since his arm was in the way.

"I dunno, but two syringes are empty," Diggle replied. "Whatever it is, though, I'm guessing that's why Felicity isn't moving or talking."

Beneath her ear, she could hear Oliver's heart begin to race as his breathing became shallow. "Hold her," he said through gritted teeth as he tried to pass her off to her bodyguard. Felicity immediately became concerned over what he was about to do. She didn't want to leave the safety of his arms, too scared of what would happen if she did. More tears streamed down her cheeks, staining his t-shirt until he was forced to look down at her and see the pain so sharp and clear in her eyes. He relaxed almost immediately, whatever fight that had been flowing through him leaving almost immediately.

"No, Oliver," Diggle firmly answered. "She needs you right now. Don't let vengeance cloud your mind. Hold onto your girl and keep her safe. SCPD will do the rest. Right now, let her be your priority."

Oliver nodded, once more gazing down at the fragile woman in his arms. Letting out an exhausted sigh, Felicity relaxed. The pull of unconsciousness was strong at that moment. She'd been suspended between pain and torture for too long, and feeling safe, she knew she could rest easy now. Her eyes drooped shut as she began to drift away to the sound of Oliver's heartbeat beneath her ear.

But then he started to call her name again, his whispers turning into shouts before he resorted to begging. "Felicity!" he cried. "Stay with me, Felicity!" She could hear the desperation in his voice, and soon she was being lowered to the ground as his fingers fell to her neck once more. "Dig! I can't feel her pulse and she stopped breathing!" Oliver shouted to her bodyguard.

Another set of hands, bigger ones than his, dropped to her chest. "Starting chest compressions now," Diggle answered calmly even though she could hear the edge of panic in his voice. Then there was pressure on her chest and lips pressed to hers breathing air into her lungs.

So this was what dying felt like, Felicity realized. It should have scared her more than it did, but knowing Oliver was at her side, she felt like she could let go. He had found her, had saved her from more torture. He cared about her just as much as she cared about him. Although she hadn't been able to say those three important words, she felt like he already knew. Being there, at her side, trying to save her...

The lips that had been pressed to hers were suddenly gone, replaced with hard plastic that covered both her nose and mouth. And the hands that had been pressing against her chest had stopped their compressions. Felicity could feel a flurry of activity happening around her. Oliver's pea coat was pulled open, exposing her naked body once more. But this time it was for good reason. Two pieces of cold steel had replaced the hands, and suddenly someone was yelling, "Clear!"

A jolt of electricity didn't even faze her. Felicity remained floating on that plane between life and death, the euphoria consuming her. It was the best feeling in the world, even better than an orgasm. But then she felt a hand wrap around hers, squeezing gently as soft words were whispered into her ear. "Please, Felicity… Please don't go. I  _can't_ lose you! I love you, Felicity! Do you understand?" Oliver begged. "I  _love_ you."

Those were the last words she heard before succumbing to the darkness that crept up on her. The last thought that ran through Felicity's mind was, 'I love you, too.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While I welcome reviews, I do not take kindly to people flat out bashing me or this story. If you don't have something to contribute that will help me edit this story in the future, then MOVE ALONG! Any comments that I deem hateful will be immediately deleted. I do NOT tolerate people who don't have something positive to say or have constructive criticism.
> 
> So haters, kindly FUCK OFF.


	28. Interlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if it's necessary for this chapter, but I'm going to add a torture warning because the first quarter of it does get a bit gory. You'll see what I mean pretty quickly.
> 
> This chapter has been HEAVILY edited, so I highly suggest rereading it because new and pertinent information has been added in several places. Also, the bit with Sara has also been fix so it feels better than it did in the first draft.

Oliver Queen was a reasonable man. He had been through a fair share of terrible things in his twenty-nine years of life to know how to handle almost any situation that presented itself. But watching the woman he cared for, the woman he'd fallen so deeply in love with, fade away as the paramedics desperately tried to save her, that turned Oliver Queen into a desperate man, and a desperate man was a dangerous man.

He stood back and watched as they shocked her heart again, trying to get her pulse back, but it was turning into a lost cause. His eyes darted around the room and ended up falling on the five syringes Diggle had shown him earlier. All but two of them were filled with clear liquid, each with a different cap. One was red, another blue, a third green, and the empty ones were black.

Without thinking, he rushed to the subdued men sprawled out on the living room floor, both semi-conscious and groaning from the beating he and Diggle had unleashed upon them when they burst through the door earlier in hopes of finding Felicity after she hadn't answered her phone in several hours.

Using the most basic methods of tracking someone, Oliver had pulled up the security footage from the building and had followed her out of the garage to a waiting cab. The car's number was easily discernible from the video. Within minutes, he was on the phone with the man who had picked her up, and after waiting a moment, he gave Oliver the address where he'd dropped her off. That prompted a swift response from Diggle and together they had made their way to her apartment.

Oliver grabbed the man he wasn't familiar with first, fisting his hair and bringing him to his knees. "What did you give her?" he growled.

"Why should I tell you?" the man groggily replied before spitting blood at his shoes. His face was battered beyond recognition, eyes turning black and lip split in several places.

Oliver pulled his hair harder, snapping his head back so they stared at each other in the eyes. "I'm going to ask you one more time. What. Did. You. Give. Her?"

The man paused and stared at him for several long moments. "Go fuck yourself," he boldly shot back.

Oliver's blood began to boil at the man's insolence, so he reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a small switchblade. His hold of the man's hair remained strong as he ran the cold steel down his stomach until he reached his semi-erect cock. The blade came to rest against the base, pressing hard as Oliver whispered, "Last chance before I cut your dick off and shove it down your throat."

"Like you have the balls for that, pretty boy," was the man's answer as he chuckled and grinned.

The ear piercing scream that came from his mouth seconds later put a smile on Oliver's lips as the edge of the blade began slicing through his flesh. At that moment, he didn't care about what he was doing. Felicity's life was at stake and he'd do just about anything to save her, even if it meant sacrificing a part of his soul. "You didn't think I would do it? That should make you think twice," he replied in a deep growl, keeping the knife buried in the man's flesh as blood dripped down his flaccid prick.

"Alright! Alright!" the man sobbed. "I injected her with curare and pyridostigmine."

"Is there an antidote?" Oliver asked. The man didn't reply so he pressed the knife harder into his skin, this time tearing muscle in the process. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Diggle gaping at him from where he stood beside Felicity's lifeless body, eyes wide with shock. But Oliver didn't care. He wasn't about to let the best thing that ever happened to him die because of another man's cruelty.

"AH!" the man in front of him screamed as the blade dug deeper. "Yes! Yes! There's an antidote!"

"Which syringe is it?" Oliver asked.

"I don't know!" came the man's sobbing response. Oliver was close to keeping his promise and cutting off the guy's member when he added, "Ray knows! He's the one who created it! He knows how to administer the cure!"

Without an ounce of remorse, Oliver punched the guy in the face, knocking him out until the SCPD came to collect him. He should have let him stay awake and suffer for what he'd done to Felicity, but he had bigger fish to fry. Striding over to the other zip-tied man, he grabbed Ray by the scruff of his neck and held the bloody switchblade just as he had the first guy.

The look of terror in Ray's eyes let Oliver know he had seen what he'd done to his partner and that he wasn't about to show him any mercy either. "You've got one shot,  _Palmer_ , before I cut your dick off for what you've done," Oliver spat. "Which one is the antidote?"

There was a long moment of silence before the blade bit into his flesh. "The red and the blue ones!  _The red and the blue ones_!" Ray screamed as Oliver sliced him open.

"How do I give her the cure?" he demanded.

"Administer the blue one first, wait ten seconds, then administer the red one," Ray instructed.

"If you're lying to me, so help me god, I will cut your dick off and strangle you with it," Oliver warned before he removed the switchblade from where it had sliced deeply into the man's skin, letting his blood pour out onto the hardwood floor as he wept uncontrollably. He wiped the blade on edge of the already bloody couch before slipping it back into his pocket. "I still think your dick needs to be cut off, but I'll let them do that in jail, you filthy piece of human trash," he sneered.

Rushing to the table where he'd seen the syringes, he grabbed the two Ray had indicated and returned to Felicity's side. "Move over!" Oliver ordered the paramedics as he uncapped the blue needle.

"Sir?" one of the men asked upon seeing what was in his hand. When Oliver plunged it into her thigh, he heard the guy shout once more, "Sir! What are you doing?! What did you give her?"

"Hopefully, the antidote," Oliver replied as he sat back on his heels. He waited the ten seconds then uncapped the second needle and administered the other drug, hoping against all hope that Ray hadn't lied to him.

Oliver, the two paramedics, and Diggle all watched the heart rate monitor as it continued to show a flat line, the incessant, steady  _beep_ of no pulse echoing throughout the room. Time seemed to slow as they waited with bated breath to see if this would work.

Seconds passed without any change. The longer they waited, the more dire the situation became until finally, one of the paramedics had had enough. He began working on Felicity again, prepping her for one last shock to the heart. Oliver wanted to get up and return to the men he'd tortured for the information and finish the job until the paramedic yelled, "Clear!"

His eyes focused on the woman at his knees as her body jumped off the floor with the force of the shock. She gave a big, heaving breath as her eyes popped open, the heart rate monitor jumping to life with a steady rhythm that instantly put Oliver at ease. Although her eyes had drifted shut again, he took solace in the fact that her heart was beating and he could see her chest rise and fall. He let out the breath he'd been holding for the past several minutes, undeniably relieved that the antidote worked.

Within moments, the paramedics were placing Felicity onto a backboard, hoisting her up so they could take her to the ambulance and ultimately the hospital. Oliver followed without hesitation, his hand wrapping around hers and holding on as they took off for Starling General. He refused to let go, even as the doctors and nurses took charge of her care. Their hands remained locked until he was physically forced to let go so they could do their job.

Sequestered to the private waiting room, Oliver couldn't sit still. He paced the floor, rubbing his hands over his face and through his hair until it looked like a disheveled mess on the top of his head. Even though the antidote had worked, he still feared for Felicity's life. When he had first laid eyes on her, he found her body covered in bruises and her left shoulder was swollen so badly he'd been afraid to touch it. But that was just the beginning.

Oliver couldn't imagine what sick and perverted things those men had done to her judging by the state he'd found her in. The sheer amount of bodily fluids she'd been covered in made him cringe, wondering how long they'd had their way with her. Just thinking about it made him wish he'd gone through with his threats. Felicity didn't deserve this, and if he could do anything to spare her any extra pain, he would. He'd go to the ends of the earth for her, reach into the very depths of hell if necessary, whatever it took to help her.

After an hour of agonized pacing, the door to the waiting room opened and Diggle strode inside. He crossed his arms over his chest once it closed behind him and leveled Oliver with an angry glare. "Thanks for leaving me to clean up your mess," he said.

"You would have done the same thing if it was Lyla in her position," Oliver pointed out.

"Don't bring my wife into this," Diggle replied. Then he sighed. "You're right, though. If some psycho ex-boyfriend and his buddy had captured Lyla and put her through what they put Felicity through, I probably would have done something worse."

"Wait, that was Felicity's  _ex-boyfriend_?" Oliver asked as he stopped pacing and looked at his friend.

Diggle nodded. "Cooper Seldon, the one and only. Out of prison for just a little over a month now, and already causing a hell of a lot of trouble."

Taking a deep breath, Oliver let himself fall into a chair as he scrubbed his hands over his face. "I can't believe he was in cahoots with Palmer," he said. "How do they even know each other?"

"I don't know, man," Diggle replied, clapping him on the shoulder in a gesture of solidarity. "But the SCPD will have them signing like canaries in no time."

"Speaking of canaries, have you talked to Sara?"

"Yeah, she knows what's going on. She should be here soon. I know you two aren't on the best of terms right now, but she was pretty distraught after she heard what happened," Diggle answered. "Threatened to fire me for not keeping my eye on Felicity."

"For what it's worth," Oliver said, "I'm pretty sure Felicity would have found a way to get around you at some point. I'm just wishing it hadn't been today." He stared down at his hands and noticed for the first time that they were splattered with blood.

Having had time to process everything that happened that afternoon, the sudden feelings of guilt and remorse washed over Oliver as he leaned forward and dipped his head. How many times had he promised to keep her safe? It seemed as if he'd made himself a liar, failing her the one time she needed him most.

Letting out a deep sigh, Oliver clenched his hands into fists. He had done some pretty terrible things in his life, but torturing and nearly maiming two people in the name of love was an all time low for him. But thinking about Felicity, about what those two animals had put her through, he'd do it again in a heartbeat, he was sure of it.

"Go wash that off." Diggle nudged him, glancing down at his hands as he noticed the red dotting his friend's skin.

"What, no lecture?" Oliver asked as he stood up and headed over to the sink in the corner of the small yet comfortable room.

"That would make me a hypocrite," Diggle answered. "You know I've done some terrible things on the battlefield. Doesn't really give me any right to lecture you on what you did to save Felicity's life. If she hadn't gotten that antidote, she might be dead right now."

Oliver took his time washing away the blood from his hands. He watched the water run down his skin, dislodging the smattering of red all over his palms and fingers then swirl around the stainless steel before falling into the drain. "How did you get over it?" he quietly asked while turning off the faucet.

"You never get over it," Diggle candidly revealed. "You just make peace with it and move on."

"It can't be that easy," Oliver commented.

"It's not. You need to forgive yourself first, and that's what takes time."

Oliver nodded while drying his hands with a paper towel. It landed in the waste basket a few moments later as he began to stride back to his seat, but then the door opened and a flurry of blonde hair flew inside.

"Ollie!" Sara cried as she rushed toward him, but he stepped back, holding his hand up. She abruptly stopped a couple feet in front of him, her face scrunched up in confusion as she stared for a moment before understanding finally hit her.

After everything they had been through, everything that had happened between them, Oliver felt extremely uncomfortable currently being in her presence. He was still angry at her for what she'd done to Felicity the previous week and more so over the reasons why, but seeing Sara had realized that and took a step back, he felt relieved. She nodded once before keeping a wide gap between them as she quietly asked. "How is she?"

For a moment, he didn't speak, just stared at her wondering whether to even say anything at all or to ignore her for the time being. It wasn't easy, being around Sara after she had taken his heart, and Felicity's as well, and thrown them into a blender, hitting the frappe option. He didn't want to tell her anything, didn't want to even speak to her, but he could see just how concerned she was, the streaks in her makeup, her red eyes. She'd been crying, something Sara Lance wasn't known for, and that's what pushed him over the edge.

"I don't know," Oliver sighed. "The doctor still hasn't come in to talk to us yet. I don't know how much longer it'll be, but the last time I saw Felicity, she was alive."

"I wish I'd had more time to look at the security tapes. I wish I'd looked into her ex-boyfriend. I mean, I have contacts in the department of corrections, for fuck's sake! I could have found out if he was still in jail or not! I could have stopped this before it happened. When my dad mentioned Cooper, it should have set off warning bells," Sara angrily rambled.

"Hey," he said, his hand reaching out to stroke along the length of her arm in a show of support. It felt awkward comforting her, but it seemed that Sara genuinely felt terrible for her oversights, something Oliver couldn't fault her for. "You couldn't have known it would come to this."

"I know," she replied, her eyes falling to her shoes before she glanced up at him again. "Dad told me what you did to them," Sara added with a watery smile. "Nearly chopping their dicks off so they'd tell you about the antidote? Sounds like something I would do."

Before Oliver got the chance to reply, the waiting room door swung open and a petite woman with short auburn hair dressed in green hospital scrubs stepped inside. She glanced at the three of them, her soft grey eyes settling on Oliver as she asked, "Oliver Queen, I presume?"

"Yes," he replied, already feeling the prickle of anxiety flutter in his stomach. "I'm Oliver Queen."

She sighed and motioned for him to follow her. "Dr. Caraway," she said, extending her hand. "Miss Smoak has you listed as her medical proxy meaning there's a lot I have to discuss with you about her condition, and for now, it would be better if we spoke privately."

For a moment, Oliver stood dumbfounded. Although the contract mentioned few things aside from taking care of Felicity's medical expenses, it hadn't mentioned this. It hit him hard that she had gone above and beyond, trusting him with her life in the event that something like this could happen. He swallowed the lump in his throat before speaking.

"Okay," Oliver acknowledged as he shot a look over his shoulder to let Sara and Diggle know he'd tell them as soon as he came back. They nodded and he followed the doctor out into the hall. She led him through a maze of corridors, stopping only when they reached a closed door toward near the end of a line of private patient rooms.

"Miss Smoak is in stable condition now. She's breathing on her own and her vitals look strong. I have some questions for you regarding the state in which she was brought in. The paramedics noted she was unconscious and unresponsive for several minutes and that she needed to be resuscitated at the scene. When asked, they reported you injected her with something and that soon after the injection, they were able to revive her. Do you know what you injected her with?"

"I have no idea," Oliver answered. "Her… attackers… It was a cocktail they'd created in order to incapacitate her. When I found her, she was breathing and had her eyes open, but she couldn't move or speak." He could feel his throat close up remembering how fragile and vulnerable Felicity looked when he first saw her that afternoon. He couldn't believe the strong, capable woman he'd grown to know and love could have been rendered so useless. Tears pricked his eyes as a wave of guilt hit him.

The doctor's hand fell on his arm. "If you need a moment, please feel free to take it. I know how hard this is for loved ones to deal with. I can call one of our counselors down if you need to talk to someone once we're done," Dr. Caraway said.

"I'm… I'll be okay," Oliver soldiered on with a look of determination. He needed to get through this if he was going to find the best way to help Felicity. "Whatever they gave her, it stopped her heart and she stopped breathing. I had to force them to tell me if there was an antidote for it, and once I found out what it was, I just administered it without second thought. I just couldn't let her die…"

"You did the right thing," the doctor replied, giving his arm a gentle squeeze. "We sent a sample of her blood up to our lab to find out what was in her system. The results came back just a few minutes ago. There were high concentrations of pyridostigmine and a South American indigenous drug called curare along with a host of other unidentifiable ingredients that we'll need to send out for further analysis.

"The thing about these drugs is that pyridostigmine can cause slurred speech with an adverse reaction, but for her speech to have actually been halted completely, another substance would likely have needed to be in play. It leads me to suspect that the source of this drug wasn't strictly medical grade or that it's interaction with the curare may have caused some adverse effects even after they've been metabolized. We're keeping a close eye on Miss Smoak until she regains consciousness, but so far she hasn't shown any signs of trouble."

It was the first time Oliver managed to breathe a sigh of relief ever since he found Felicity. This was something he could cling to as the doctor continued with her assessment. He knew there was a lot more they needed to discuss and that this wasn't over, but at least one thing was going their way. Whatever was in the antidote had managed to negate the effects of the other two drugs in her system, making it one less thing to worry about.

"Thank god," he murmured, but the look on the doctor's face remained grave.

"That's not all, Mr. Queen," Dr. Caraway said. "There are a host of other things that I'm still concerned about."

They stopped at room twelve fifty-two. The door was partially open, the privacy curtain pulled back. There, lying fast asleep on the bed, was Felicity. Her left arm was in a sling and there was a tube beneath her nose feeding her extra oxygen. Oliver stood, eyes transfixed on the pale woman only a few feet away from him. She looked so tiny and so fragile as she lay there, her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling with every breath she took.

He felt his lungs constrict, his breath catching in his throat as he stared at her. This wasn't the woman he loved. It was a shell of the vibrant human being he once knew. Oliver felt the tears rise up unbidden and threaten to spill down his cheeks as he stared at her frail form. His anger at Seldon and Palmer returning with renewed vigor. What he wouldn't do to make them pay for what they'd done. Cutting off their dicks was just a taste of the torture he wanted to inflict upon them, but he remained calm and steadfast at Dr. Caraway silently watched him from where she stood a couple feet in front of him.

It seemed as if she was assessing him as well, judging just how close to the edge he truly was, so Oliver schooled his features, turning into the hardened CEO he had become over the years. If it hadn't been for the corporate world teaching him how to be a stronger man, he knew he would have crumbled ages ago. Taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders, he managed to center himself once again.

"What do you mean?" he finally asked, his eyes settling on the doctor instead of the woman in the hospital bed.

"I've seen my fair share of rape victims, but Miss Smoak is by far the worst case I've ever encountered," Dr. Caraway solemnly answered. "Since our hospital is affiliated with her health care providers, I was able to obtain her medical history in order to make a plan for her treatment. Since records indicate Miss Smoak was implanted with a contraceptive six months ago, I'd like to discuss with you the course of action that needs to be taken in a case as serious as hers."

Oliver nodded, unable to speak at that moment. He knew this was coming. He'd heard enough from Sara and her father about these types of cases, seen it on television shows as well. This was going to get worse before it got any better.

"Since you are her health care proxy, you have the authority to make decisions on what I can and cannot do while she is unable to speak for herself. It is my job to give you all the options and advise you on the best course of treatment. Since Miss Smoak is still unconscious and I don't know how long it will be before she wakes up, I'd like to discuss what I think is the most important thing for her at this moment, and that's the possibility of contracting a sexually transmitted disease and pregnancy," Dr. Caraway explained.

Her words hit Oliver hard and if he hadn't been so close to a wall, he might have fallen to the floor. Resting his shoulder against it, he nodded. As much as he didn't want to think about what all this meant for him and Felicity, he knew it was important in order for her to heal. There was a medical clause in their contract, and even though he'd already signed the termination papers, he knew she hadn't been able to, meaning he was still in charge of her well being and that this conversation with Dr. Caraway would decide what was best. All he wanted was the best for Felicity, but making that decision for her was going to be the hardest thing he'd ever have to do.

"Okay," Oliver finally said. "What are her options?"

"Although we technically have a seventy-two hour window for treatment, the sooner we administer the proper medications, the better. The best option for Miss Smoak would be to administer emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy - this would be similar to Plan B. While it's true that her implant is over ninety-nine percent effective, there's still that slim chance the drugs her attackers administered could have thrown it off. I'd rather be safe than sorry in this case," Dr. Caraway replied.

"Do it," Oliver ordered without hearing her out.

"Okay," the doctor said, "but allow me to finish. Plan B also carries its own risks in that it may not work, but it is currently the best choice she has."

"That's fine," he replied. "If you think it's best for her, then please, give her the drug and at least give her a chance."

Dr. Caraway grabbed the chart from the bin beside the door and noted Oliver's decision. "Okay, that's one thing out of the way. Now onto the second pressing issue we need to discuss, and that's the possibility of contracting a sexually transmitted disease. There are several preventive treatments that I'm going to suggest and I feel that doing them all in the span of these next few days will reduce Miss Smoak's risks of contracting something significantly."

"What are the treatments?" Oliver asked. He shifted from foot to foot, his comfort level decreasing as Dr. Caraway continued.

"Preventive treatment for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomonas usually includes three antibiotics: an intramuscular injection of ceftriaxone, and an oral dose of azithromycin and metronidazole. These will kill any of the bacteria associated with those diseases," Dr. Caraway explained. "I also highly recommend preventive treatment for HIV since, like pregnancy, there is a seventy-two hour window.

"This treatment is called pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, and is a way for people who do not have HIV but who are at substantial risk of getting it to prevent HIV infection by taking a pill every day. The pill contains two medicines, tenofovir and emtricitabine, that are used in combination with other medicines to treat HIV. When someone is exposed to HIV through sex or injection drug use, these medicines can work to keep the virus from establishing a permanent infection. When taken consistently, PrEP has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection in people who are at high risk by up to 92%.

"In Miss Smoak's case, we'll give her a five day course of treatment and have her follow up in six months to make sure the medication has done its job since we don't know the medical histories of the men who assaulted her. Again, better to be safe than sorry. Do I have you permission to begin her on this course of treatment as well?" Dr. Caraway asked.

"Please, do whatever it is you have to do in order to help Felicity. If you think this will prevent her from getting sick or getting pregnant or whatever, just do it," Oliver answered. "I don't want her to suffer anymore than she already has."

"I completely understand, Mr. Queen," she sympathized. "I want Miss Smoak to be as healthy as possible after her ordeal." It was good to hear that the doctor was doing her best to help Felicity. That's all Oliver could have asked for. But he could see it in her eyes and the way her smile wavered that Dr. Caraway wasn't done yet. She still had a lot to discuss with him concerning Felicity's current medical state.

"What else happened to her?" Oliver asked, knowing he wasn't going to like the answer. It was important though, understanding what was going on so he and the doctor to find the right course of treatment and document everything for the trial he knew would come in the following months against Seldon and Palmer. They were going to pay for this, one way or another.

"Unfortunately, Miss Smoak suffered a substantial amount of physical trauma aside from the rape itself. Her attackers showed no mercy. Not only does she have a dislocated shoulder, but there are a myriad of fractured bones all across her body, some of which are along her jaw while the rest are confined to her chest. She has hundreds of bruises and lacerations, most of which are shallow, but some were bad enough to require additional stitches to the ones that had already been used to close up the worst of her wounds. It looks to me like they beat her with some kind of metal chain judging from the shape of the bruising," Dr. Caraway described, her face turning grave.

Oliver wanted to correct her assumption, tell her those particular bruises were caused by someone else, but he didn't dare. He was already under scrutiny for what he'd done to Palmer and Seldon. He didn't need the added pressure of answering for his ex-girlfriend nor did he want his private life exposed. So he let the doctor assume what she wanted as he stared at Felicity with sad azure eyes.

"And that's only the half of it. At some point, she was kicked in the chest, causing yet another bruise and fracturing two of her ribs," Dr. Caraway continued.

This time, Oliver did speak up. "That happened this morning," he corrected. "One of my former employees got into a fight with her and from what my security team has told me, Felicity was on the receiving end of a pretty nasty pointed stiletto."

"Well, that's one thing I can strike from the rape report," she replied. "But the list of injuries goes on. The ones I'm most concerned about are the tears on her anus and vaginal walls. I've done the best I could suturing them, but she may need surgery if they don't heal properly. These types of injuries can be tricky to treat in that they may not show up for days or even weeks after the initial incident. We'll monitor her for the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours to make sure she doesn't develop a life threatening tear, but for now, she should be okay. But just so you know, and this is something I'll mention to Miss Smoak once she's awake, depending on the severity of the scarring and internal damage, she may have a problem with fertility. It's an issue her primary health care provider will need to monitor in the future, but for now, she just needs rest in order to heal."

Oliver nodded, swallowing down the lump in his throat as he stared at Felicity. The tears that gathered at the corners of his eyes were wiped away before they had a chance to fall. When he felt the doctor's small hand on his forearm, he gazed down at her.

"I know this isn't easy for you, Mr. Queen, so if you need to speak to someone, don't hesitate. I'll have someone come down here in minutes," Dr. Caraway said. "Rape and sexual assault aren't just something the victim goes through. Family, friends, loved ones; they all have to deal with the consequences as well. I recommend that both you and Miss Smoak see someone in the coming weeks, possibly a therapist or a counselor or a psychiatrist, whoever you feel comfortable seeing. They'll give you the tools to cope with what's happened and hopefully allow you both to make peace with it."

Oliver simply nodded. He didn't know how he felt about seeing someone. Right now his main concern was Felicity and her physical well being. Everything else could wait. Just so long as she made it out of this ordeal alive, the rest would fall into place later.

He swiped his hand over his face, pinching the bridge of his nose in exhaustion and frustration. Today had been a god awful day, and the only reason he was still standing was the simple fact that Felicity was only a few feet away, resting comfortably after her ordeal. He had no doubt in his mind her suffering was far from over, but for now, she was okay. They could deal with the consequences later. All he wanted to do was sit with her now and hold her hand.

Just as he was about to step away, Dr. Caraway took hold of his arm, stopping Oliver in his tracks. "One more thing, Mr. Queen," she said, reaching into the pocket of her scrubs. "We had to take this necklace off Miss Smoak before we could treat her. Unfortunately we had to cut one of the links since there didn't seem to be a clasp in order to open it."

Dr. Caraway placed the plastic bag containing the silver chain necklace he'd given Felicity in his outstretched palm. The sight of it made his chest constrict. She hadn't taken it off even though he'd given her the key and that sent a deep pang of sorrow through him. After everything they had gone through together, from Sara to Carrie and now Seldon and Palmer, Felicity had never taken off the necklace.

"Thank you, doctor," Oliver choked out, his emotions finally getting the best of him. He wrapped his fingers around the plastic covered silver before stepping away from Dr. Caraway and into the hospital room where the love of his life lay. Stepping closer to the bed, his hand skimmed the bare skin of Felicity's right arm. It didn't stop until he had reached her fingers and twined them together with his. Then he took a seat in the chair beside the bed, intent on spending however long she was in the hospital at her side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have to push back chapter 29 since I'm in the process of heavy editing and possibly a rewrite because it just doesn't flow right or work. Half that chapter is a mess in my opinion and I feel like I left out some pretty important stuff and character interactions. It would be unfair to you guys if I posted that chapter next week without it being written the way I want it to go, so hopefully I can get it done before then, but it's a big "we'll see" right now because so much is going on and I have so little time on my hands at the moment.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE:**
> 
> I HAVE UPDATED CHAPTER 28 SO GO BACK AND READ IT BECAUSE I ADDED CLOSE TO 2K WORDS!!
> 
> Trust me, you'll want to read it because it has everything to do with Felicity's current condition, which is important for what happens in the following chapters.
> 
> Thank you!

Waking up in a hospital was far less cliché than what movies and television shows depicted. Felicity would know. She'd spent enough time in them. This morning wasn't any different. The pain, like always, became unbearable, forcing her to groan and open her eyes. It was still dark out considering she hadn't been blinded by sunlight, and a glance around the room confirmed it. The first rays of morning light were just filtering through the gauzy white curtains that hid the large floor to ceiling window overlooking Starling City.

Another thing Felicity noticed as she glanced around the room: it felt warm and inviting, very much unlike any other hospital room she had ever stayed in. The walls were a rich brown and the sheets she was wrapped in felt soft against her skin, as if they'd just been taken out of the package for the first time and freshly laundered before being tucked around her. It felt almost as if she was back in the penthouse, especially when she noticed Oliver's head resting on his arms near her hip.

His stubble rasped against her fingertips as she tried to wiggle her hand out from beneath where it was trapped in his. The slight movement caused him to sit up quickly, wild eyes darting across the room until they locked with hers. Then his face softened and he smiled, the relief clear in those azure pools as they stared down at her, shining like beacons in the darkness.

"Good morning," Oliver rasped, his voice low and gravelly with sleep.

"Mmm…" was all Felicity could manage as she rolled her head to the side so she could see him better. Her jaw ached from moving just fractions of an inch, and she closed her eyes while taking a deep, steadying breath.

"Are you in pain?" Oliver asked. She slowly nodded without opening her eyes. "I'll go get a nurse."

"Mmm… kay," Felicity managed to mumble before he left.

It was usually at this point that her mind would begin to recall the events that led her here, but this time, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't remember why she was even in the hospital. The last thing she remembered was the fight with Carrie and leaving Oliver's office. Everything after that point was a blur. Had she been in a car accident? That would explain why her entire body seemed to scream in pain with every little movement she made and why her left arm was in a sling.

Then Oliver returned flanked by a nurse in dusty pink scrubs. He sat down in the chair he had previously occupied and wrapped his fingers around her hand bringing it up to his lips so he could place a line of kisses across her knuckles.

The nurse went about her business as if what she saw no longer fazed her. She checked Felicity's vital signs and all the IV's hooked up to her body, then put on a pair of gloves before she uncapped a syringe she pulled out from a pocket of her uniform.

Seeing the needle sparked a memory that jolted Felicity violently. A syringe about the same size and shape as the one the nurse held being plunged into her arm, the sensation of losing her ability to move and speak, Cooper Seldon's disturbing grin as he stared back at her… She screamed before the nurse even came within five feet of her with the needle. "Get away from me! Don't touch me!" Felicity cried out as she tried to flail about, but her body just couldn't take it. She was too weak and far too injured, and the sudden panic that hit reduced her to tears.

Felicity gasped for breath, but the pain in her chest overwhelmed her. It felt like she was being stabbed over and over again, making her panic even more when she realized she couldn't take a breath without feeling pain. The terrifying cycle played itself out over and over for what seemed like hours until Oliver wrapped himself around her, one arm around her neck and the other around her waist, pulling her straight into his chest.

Clawing at him weakly, Felicity tried to break away from his hold, but he remained steadfast in his effort to restrain her until she relaxed. "Shh, baby. It's okay. She's not going to hurt you," he murmured into her ear as his hand cupped her cheek and he peppered her forehead and temple with soft kisses.

For the first time in what seemed like hours, Felicity felt like she could breathe again as she buried her face in his shirt. She held onto Oliver as he continued to whisper words of comfort in her ear, telling her that she was safe and that the nurse was only trying to help her. "No more needles! No more drugs!" she sobbed. The amount of pain she was in didn't matter anymore. Fear borne of the clear liquid inside of the syringe consumed her instead.

Oliver continued to hold her, even slipping into the bed beside her so his body covered her like a shield. And he never let go. The arm around her waist kept her pressed into his side as his free hand cupped her cheek, cradling it in his giant palm as his fingers wiped away her tears. He kept whispering words of comfort, telling her that she was safe and that no one was going to hurt her.

"Breathe with me, Felicity," he murmured into her ear as he placed her right hand against his chest, over his heart. "In and out… Nice and slow."

Feeling her hand rise and fall with each breath he took, Felicity tried to match it with her own. Focused on the task, she finally calmed down and let her body relax as she pressed her forehead against Oliver's. Pain still radiated out from every bone and muscle in her body, a sensation she did not enjoy. She whimpered when he tried to shift her so she could rest more comfortably in his arms.

"Are you still in pain, baby?" Oliver asked as he pulled away, but only just mere inches separated them as he stared into her eyes, those azure pools holding her gaze. Felicity nodded. He waved over the nurse, who still stood in the room dumbfounded by what had happened. She cautiously stepped up to the bed as he said, "Absolutely no injections. You're going to give her pills from now on. I don't care how much less effective they are in managing her pain. Understood?"

He left no room for argument as the nurse nodded and scurried out the door to do as he asked. Turning back to Felicity, his hand gently stroked over her face as he smiled down at her. She instantly felt at ease knowing Oliver was there beside her, his body wrapped around hers like a protective blanket, shielding her from the evils of the world. But it wouldn't always be that way. She knew, in time, he would have to go to work and leave her here without the warmth of his embrace to make her feel safe. For now, though, she'd revel in it.

Closing her eyes, Felicity burrowed into his neck, finding comfort in the feel of his skin against her forehead. Although every inch of her body hurt and pain shot through her whenever she moved, with Oliver holding onto her, she'd found her anchor in the storm. She felt him sigh into her hair then pressed a soft kiss against the crown of her head before his cheek came to rest there. Peaceful silence enveloped the room as they lay together, their only reprieve from the inevitable battle ahead.

Felicity knew her mind could only block out the memories of her assault for so long. There would be a time when they came back, full force, ready to consume her, but right now wasn't the time. She refused to let those bad thoughts interrupt such a serene moment with the man she loved. Instead, she let the silence take over, let her ear press against his chest as she listened to the steady beat of his heart beneath it. Her fingers traced random patterns over the dark blue henley he wore, feeling the heat radiate from his chest into her hand.

"How are you feeling, baby?" Oliver murmured into her hair as his arms held her just a little tighter.

"I still don't like needles," Felicity weakly replied, letting her face burrow into his neck as she breathed in the scent of his skin. It always helped put her at ease.

"You scared me," he whispered as he nuzzled her hair before pressing another kiss to the top of her head. "I thought I was going to lose you."

"I'm sorry," she replied, pressing a kiss to the corded muscles that tightened imperceptibly along his neck.

"No... Please don't apologize for something that wasn't your fault," he said, pulling away to look at her. Oliver cradled her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing over her cheeks as he held her gaze. "If anyone needs to apologize for something, it's me. I did some… deplorable things in order to save your life."

"Deplorable?" Felicity asked, tilting her head slightly in confusion. "Oliver, what happened?"

His head hung low, his eyes falling away from hers as he said, "I threatened and… nearly maimed both Cooper and Ray because they refused to tell me how to save you."

"Oliver," Felicity whispered as she placed her right hand beneath his chin and tilted his head up so their eyes met. "Whatever you did, I don't care. I'm still here because of you. I'm  _alive_ because you didn't let them take me from you. And for that I am truly grateful. So, thank you, Oliver. Thank you for caring enough about me to do what you had to do." She hadn't expected the tears that suddenly streamed down her cheeks, or the gasping breaths that escaped her lips as she spoke those last few words. The reality of her ordeal finally set in, and suddenly she was breaking down in front of him.

"Felicity…" Oliver murmured before his lips found hers. He kissed her with abandon as his fingers wiped away the cascade of tears falling from her eyes. She continued to weep against his mouth as her right hand searched for purchase, grabbing hold of his shirt and pulling herself as close as she could. "I love you," he said when the kiss broke and his forehead pressed against hers. "I love you so much."

Felicity sniffled, "I love you, too." More tears fell down her cheeks as his arms banded around her waist, bringing her side flush against his chest. She burrowed into him, holding on as tightly as she could with her one good arm around his neck. They stayed huddled together, her nose pressed into Oliver's neck inhaling that familiar scent of lavender, amber, and sandalwood that had become her favorite, while he peppered her forehead with fluttering kisses.

It felt so right at that moment, the love she had for him, the love he reciprocated. Years had passed since she felt that kind of love for anyone. Right then, Felicity realized her heart belong to this man. She didn't care about the contract they had or any other extenuating circumstances. This was love, pure and simple, and she would hold onto it for as long as she could.

A knock at the door drew Oliver's attention away from her that they pulled apart. Even then, they were still wrapped up in each other as the unwelcomed guest stepped inside. The petite woman with auburn hair and white lab coat walked up to Felicity's bed with a smile on her face. "Good morning, Miss Smoak, Mr. Queen."

"Dr. Caraway," Oliver replied with a simple nod of his head. "Good morning."

"Miss Smoak's nurse just came to see me," the doctor said before her hazel eyes settled on Felicity. "She told me you had a negative reaction to her administering the morphine and that you requested oral pain medications from now on. Is that correct?"

"Yes," he answered while Felicity nodded. "After everything that happened, I think injections are out of the question for the foreseeable future. I'm not comfortable subjecting Felicity to any more trauma than she's already been through."

"And you're okay with this, Miss Smoak?" Dr. Caraway asked as she turned to Felicity.

Nodding, she replied, "No needles, please. I already wasn't a big fan of them even before everything happened, so if I could stay away from them that would be great."

"Alright," the doctor said. "I'll write up some new prescriptions for oral pain medications. They won't be as effective as the injections and won't last as long, but I'm more than willing to put you on them in order to avoid any further trauma."

"Thank you, doctor," Oliver said as she gave them both a warm smile before turning to leave the room.

Not even five minutes later, the nurse returned with a tiny white pill in a little plastic cup and a glass of water, which Felicity downed quickly before laying back down and curling into Oliver's side. She fell asleep less than ten minutes later, his arms cradling her against his chest with his cheek pressed to her forehead.

The next time Felicity awoke, pain radiated out from her stomach all the way down to her lower belly, making her feel dizzy and nauseated. A painful groan escaped her throat and almost instantly Oliver's face appeared, hovering above her as his hand brushed strands of hair out of her face. Their eyes met for the briefest of moments before hers slammed shut again as another wave of nausea hit.

"What's wrong, baby?" he asked. "What do you need me to get you?"

Felicity swallowed back the bile that rose in her throat as she whispered, "Sick…"

"Sick? Sick how?" Oliver continued to question. His free hand slipped over her right one, giving it a gentle squeeze in encouragement.

"Throw up," Felicity finally moaned, unable to hold it back any longer.

Within seconds, a small basin was placed in her lap as hands pulled her hair away from her face. She immediately hunched over and let the contents of her stomach spill into the light pink plastic. Although there wasn't much to expel, Felicity dry heaved for a few more moments before laying back against her pillows with her eyes squeezed shut. The pain in her lower abdomen made the world feel as if it was spinning around her. She clutched at it once the basin was removed from her lap and groaned again, hoping the pain would subside.

A wet towel swiped across her mouth and she opened her eyes again to find Oliver beside her once more. He gave Felicity a warm, comforting smile before dropping the towel somewhere near his feet. "I'm going to let the nurse know you threw up. Is anything else bothering you?" he asked.

"Stomach… hurts," Felicity managed to moan before yet another bout of nausea struck. She pressed her lips together before squeezing her eyes shut, willing the pain to go away. Even the slightest of movements made her stomach churn.

Pressing a kiss to her temple, Oliver left the room to find her nurse. It wasn't long before he returned. Felicity still hadn't opened her eyes, but she could hear the distinct sound of two pairs of footsteps making their way toward her bed.

"Felicity?" a soft, female voice broke the silence. She opened her eyes to find a young woman no older than herself standing beside her with jet black hair styled in a pixie cut and gentle grey-green eyes. "Hi, I'm Chloe. I'm your evening nurse tonight. Can you tell me what's wrong? Oliver said your stomach hurt and that you threw up. Is that right?"

Felicity simply nodded her head. She didn't trust her voice at that moment, fearing she would probably throw up again if she opened her mouth. The nurse ever so gently began to press her fingers against her abdomen causing Felicity to whimper and groan in pain the lower they went. From inside the pocket of her dusty pink scrubs, Chloe pulled out a phone and dialed a number.

"Hi, Lindsay," she spoke into the mouthpiece. "You need to get Dr. Caraway up here immediately. I'm pretty sure we need to get twelve-fifty-two into x-ray ASAP. She's complaining of abdominal pain and has vomited once already… Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's complications from the assault, but I'd like the doctor to take a look first."

 _The assault_ … Felicity felt tears prick the corners of her eyes. She didn't need another reminder of what had happened to her. The simple fact that Cooper and Ray had already caused so much damage was more than enough to push her over the edge at that moment. Hearing their actions would result in more seemed unfathomable.

"It's okay, baby," she heard Oliver softly whisper into her ear as he took her hand and held it against his chest. Felicity turned toward him, her eyes wet with tears, and he reached out to brush them away with his free hand. It didn't stop her from seeing the sadness and heartache written all over his face. He was hurting just as much as she was, if not in body then in spirit.

"Oliver," she quietly wept, gripping his hand tight as more tears streamed down her cheeks.

"We'll get through this," he promised, kissing a line across her knuckles before Dr. Caraway entered the room moments later. "Whatever happens, I love you."

"I love you, too," Felicity whimpered before Dr. Caraway demanded her attention.

"So you threw up, you're nauseous, and you have lower abdominal pain," the doctor reviewed as she slid on a pair of blue latex gloves. Felicity nodded. "Alright, I'm going to have Chloe take your temperature while I check your abdomen."

As the nurse stuck a thermometer in her mouth, Dr. Caraway pulled back her hospital gown to reveal the bruised and battered skin beneath. Felicity could hear Chloe's soft gasp as her eyes flicked away from her face for a moment before returning to the digital readout in her hand. She didn't know which way to take that, instead deciding on tightening her hold of Oliver's hand as the doctor began to press her fingers into her abdomen. The lower the went, the worse the pain became, until she finally hit the spot where it hurt most.

A scream ripped itself from Felicity's throat as she squeezed Oliver's fingers and the thermometer dropped from her lips. The pain was white hot, shooting stars across her vision as she tried to wiggle away from Dr. Caraway's hands. But even moving made it worse. The doctor pulled away quickly, glancing at Chloe to see the nurse nod her head.

"Her temperature spiked. She's at a hundred and two point three right now," Chloe said.

"Alright, we need to get her down to x-ray then do a CT scan of her abdomen," Dr. Caraway replied, pulling off the gloves and discarding them in the trash. She then turned to her patient and added, "Felicity, we're going to run a few tests right now to see what's wrong with you. Best case scenario, it's a pocket of gas trapped in your bowels. Worst case scenario, you have a perforated intestine, in which case you'll go straight to surgery."

Both Felicity and Oliver stared up at her, their mouths open in shock. More tears leaked down her cheeks as she turned to him looking for solace. But he, too, was surprised by the turn of events and couldn't hide the fear now present in his azure eyes. Suddenly, there was a flurry of activity happening around them as several more nurses stepped into the room and began moving equipment around. They removed her from the IV's she was hooked up to before unlocking the wheels of her bed to roll her out into the hallway.

"Oliver!" Felicity cried out when his hand was ripped away from hers in the fray. She panicked, her eyes desperately searching for him in the crowd, but unable to locate him.

"I'm sorry, Felicity," Dr. Caraway apologized. "Unfortunately, he can't come with you right now, but you'll see him again soon. I promise."

She was absolutely terrified of being away from Oliver, not feeling the warmth of his hand in hers or his comforting presence nearby. But the doctors and nurses had already loaded her onto the elevator, the doors shutting behind them before they descended to lower floors.


	30. Interlude

The hallway was dark and silent as he paced in front of the door to her room, waiting for word of what had happened downstairs, what the test results showed. Oliver Queen was a patient man, but when it came to the people he loved, patience flew out the window. In Felicity's case, it was replaced by unrelenting fear for her life. He had spent a fair amount of time on his phone researching what it meant to have a perforated intestine and none of it was good. Surgery was the only option, especially if anything had leaked out into her abdomen.

Swallowing back the lump in his throat, Oliver paused his pacing for a moment to wipe his hands over his face. He was exhausted, having only slept a few hours in the past two days since Felicity's attack. It was hard to close his eyes and not see her prone form laying in a pool of bodily fluids the way he'd found her. Harder still was controlling his anger at the two men who had done this to her. Given the chance, he would have finished what he'd started back at her apartment, but he hoped prison would do that for him.

Oliver's thoughts drifted then, to days gone by and an ex-girlfriend he hadn't seen in over five years. He knew that sometime in the near future, he would come face to face with the formidable Laurel Lance, whether it was to charge him for assaulting the two men who had tortured Felicity or as a witness in the case against them. She was the assistant district attorney after all, and this case was right up her alley, not to mention Sara had probably already talked to her about it. There was no doubt in his mind he'd be getting a call sometime soon.

His ringing cell phone nearly caught Oliver off guard, and he immediately pulled it out of his pocket to see who it was. "Thea" flashed on the screen in bold letters, his sister's smiling face staring up at him. It was a stark contrast to how she'd looked the last time he'd seen her. She had been so angry and so irritated with him two days ago that after Felicity had shut him out, Thea had done the same, taking the next elevator to the lobby and rushing out of the building without so much as a goodbye.

For a moment, Oliver contemplated not answering, but the intrigue as to why she'd be calling him now caught him by surprise, and before he knew it, he'd already swiped the answer button with his thumb.

"O… Ollie?" came her hesitant voice over the small device as he pressed it to his ear.

"What do you want, Thea?" he grumbled into the mouthpiece.

"I wanted to see how you were doing," she replied, the hesitation still present in the way she slowly spoke the words.

"I'm fine," Oliver said through gritted teeth, wishing his sister would cut to the chase already. He knew that wasn't her only reason for calling, not after what had happened two days prior.

"I… I also wanted to… apologize for my behavior in your office," Thea said.

He let out the bark of a bitter laugh before he replied, "It's been two days, Thea. Two days since you stormed my office and accused me of cheating on Sara. And you want to apologize now?"

"Look, I know I was wrong!" she shouted back, forcing him to bite his tongue for a moment as she breathed into the phone. "Sara told me the truth. She called me yesterday and told me everything."

"What exactly did she tell you?" Oliver asked, praying to every deity he could think of that Sara hadn't actually told her everything. Otherwise, there would be a whole lot of explaining. And he just didn't want his sister to know about the secret life he lived.

"That you two broke up a while ago because she was cheating on you and that the chick I saw you with in your office was your new girlfriend," Thea explained. "I don't know why you felt you had to keep this a secret, especially since she's been all over the news for the past two days after what happened to her."

Oliver took several deep, steadying breaths trying to calm his nerves. Sara had lied for him, to his own sister, something that didn't exactly sit well with him, but at least she hadn't told Thea the real story. A part of him wanted to thank Sara for lessening his burden, but he knew they still had major hurdles to get through before they could even be on equal footing again.

"You know they're calling you a hero for saving her life," Thea quietly pointed out.

With a sigh, Oliver shook his head. He knew that already. Several reporters had already called his office asking for a comment. When his assistant had forwarded him the messages, he dismissed them immediately. What he'd done wasn't heroic. That day in Felicity's apartment, he'd made a choice, one that he didn't regret, but would haunt him for the rest of his life, just like the choice he'd made about Tommy.

"How is she?" Thea asked, the softness of her voice jostling him out of his thoughts. "Your girlfriend, Felicity, right?" Sighing, Oliver let his head drop as he leaned against the stark white wall across from Felicity's empty room. "I'm being sincere. I really do wanna know after what I heard on the news. They said she was assaulted and raped by her psycho ex-boyfriend and his crazy partner."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Oliver closed his eyes and tried not to picture what he'd seen in her apartment that fateful day. "She's… not doing well," he admitted.

"I'm sorry, Ollie," Thea sympathized. "Would you like me to stop by and stay with you for a little while? Keep you company? Maybe… Maybe we can talk and you can tell me about her?" She sounded so eager, so hopeful, but Oliver just didn't have the strength to deal with her at that moment. His mind was a mess and he just needed his space from everyone.

Again, he sighed, his chest heavy with all the feelings and emotions that had been running amok for the past forty-eight hours. Part of him wanted his sister there to keep him company, but a bigger part wanted to be alone right now, to deal with everything before he even tried to present a stoic front to everyone else. "Not right now," Oliver finally said. "I'm sorry, Thea. I can't right now. Not with everything that's going on."

"Oh… Okay." She sounded defeated, sad, something he hated to hear from his sister, even though it was necessary right now. His focus was on Felicity and helping her recover. Having Thea around would only cause that focus to wane. Besides, there was no telling what he was in for once the doctor returned to give him an update on Felicity's condition.

"Is there anything I can do?" Thea asked. "Send flowers or a balloon or a card? Food? Can I send food? Please, Ollie. I feel terrible for what I did and I just want to make things right with you and with her."

Sighing, Oliver leaned against the wall. His sister had good intentions, but right now, he just couldn't deal with them. "Thea, I'm glad that you're trying and that you want to make amends, but right now, Felicity and I just need some time. We're both going through a lot."

"I understand," she replied. "But if you need anything, I'm here for you, Ollie. Both of you."

"I know. Thank you," he said as he heard footsteps down the hall headed in his direction. Oliver looked up to see Dr. Caraway making her way toward him and knew he needed to cut his conversation short. "Sorry, Thea, I have to go," he added. "I'll talk to you later."

Before she even had time to reply, Oliver ended the call and turned off his phone. His focus immediately went to the doctor now just a few feet away from him, her expression somber and troubling. "Doctor?" he said, pushing himself off the wall. "What's wrong? How is she?"

"The x-rays and CT scan confirmed Felicity has a gastrointestinal perforation in the lower portion of her colon. Perforation of her sigmoid colon - the lower part of the GI tract - can easily happen during a sexual assault, especially if penetration with foreign objects occurred. I sent her straight into emergency surgery to fix it. The surgery should last between three and six hours depending on how bad it is," Dr. Caraway replied.

Oliver felt his entire body go numb. It seemed as if everything that could go wrong had, and there was no way to stop it from spiraling out of control. His back fell into the wall behind him as he buried his face in his hands. The anger that crept into his veins overflowed once the doctor had left, and he lashed out, punching the wall with his fist. Although it didn't make a dent, his knuckles were bruised and his hand hurt. But nothing could stop the ever present rage that simmered beneath the surface.

He was going to make Cooper and Ray pay for this, one way or another. Simply going to jail was too good for them. Oliver wanted to do something, but before he could come up with any ideas, the sound of high heels against polished linoleum interrupted his thoughts. When he looked up, he spotted a short blonde woman in a bright yellow dress with a white trenchcoat slung over her arm making her way down the hall. She appeared lost but determined, walking faster when she realized she'd gotten his attention.

"Excuse me," she said, her voice slightly higher pitched than he expected, but there was something familiar about it, about her, so Oliver nodded, holding his bruised hand to his chest until she stopped in front of him.

"I'm looking for room twelve-fifty-two," said the blonde, her eyes drifting down the corridor until it stopped on the door in front of them. "Oh, there it is. Thank god I found it. I've been so worried about my daughter ever since I got the call from the hospital yesterday morning. It took forever to find a flight out of Vegas, but here I am."

Oliver stared at her for several moments, reconciling what he knew about Felicity with what this woman had just told him. He soon realized that they looked very much alike. They had the same facial features and the same hair, even though Felicity's was a little darker. They also had the same propensity to babble, and that's what really made him believe that this woman was who she said she was.

"Wait, you're Felicity's mom?" he finally asked once the shock wore off.

"Donna Smoak," she answered with a smile before extending her hand. "And you are?"

"Oliver Queen," he said once they shook hands.

Her eyes grew wide and before he knew it, the petite woman had thrown her arms around his neck and had begun to cry. "Thank you for saving my daughter," Donna wept. "If it wasn't for you, she wouldn't be here right now. My baby girl is alive because of you. I don't know how I'll ever be able to thank you. It feels so good to just be able to tell you in person. I thought about going to your office but figured I wouldn't get past security."

For a moment, Oliver stood there, his shock returning once more, but this time, he hesitantly wrapped his arms around the blonde and held her as she cried against his chest. "You're welcome," he croaked, unable to hold back his own emotions. They stood there for a while, simply hugging, until she pulled away from him to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"Is she here? Can I go in and see her?" Donna anxiously asked, turning toward the door.

"She… She isn't," Oliver answered. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he began to lead her down the hall toward the waiting room he'd been stuck in earlier before venturing out to pace. "What have the doctors told you about Felicity's condition?" he asked once they were seated in the small, secluded area.

The sour look on Donna's face told him almost everything he needed to know. "That, um… That she was sexually assaulted and that she was hurt pretty bad," she said. "Not exactly what a mother wants to hear about her daughter, but considering she's been assaulted before, and by the same sick bastard no less, I figured it was bad."

Oliver placed a hand on her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze in an effort to prepare her for everything he was about to tell her. He steeled himself, taking a deep breath before he replied, "I'm sorry, Ms. Smoak, but there's more."

The sour look on Donna's face switched to terror. "There's more?" she squeaked. "Oh, god…" Tears had sprung from her eyes once more as she stared at Oliver, willing him to tell her the truth.

He began to explain what had happened, how he'd found Felicity, how she had nearly died. He went on to explain the events of the past twenty-four hours, the injuries they kept discovering, her deep seated fear of needles, and that she was in emergency surgery right at that moment to repair the damage Cooper and Ray had done to her intestines. Oliver tried to sugarcoat things, to make them a little more bearable for not only himself, but for Donna as well, but her hard stare told him not to.

By the time he was done, tears were falling from both their eyes, blurring his vision and making her mascara run. Donna gripped his hand tightly in her tiny, manicured fingers, her backbone straight as an arrow. Her other hand came up to wipe the tears from her eyes before she gazed back at him.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Smoak," Oliver quietly apologized. He wished he could say more about the circumstances leading up to everything, to tell her every single truth about that fateful day, because he felt that he could tell this woman anything, just like he could with Felicity, and that she would understand. But he stayed quiet, wallowing in his regret all alone.

Oliver felt her hand release his, and a moment later, she was one her feet, her arms wrapped around his neck, holding him close. "You don't ever have to apologize to me for speaking the truth. God knows, the doctors probably wouldn't have been this honest with me, so thank you, Mr. Queen, for not holding back," Donna replied. "What you've done for me, for my family… It's a gift. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart."

Unable to stop himself, Oliver wrapped his arms around the tiny blonde and held onto her as more tears fell from his eyes. He hadn't expected to get this emotional, but it felt good, releasing all the pent up fear and anger that had consumed him for the past few days. "You're welcome," he murmured, hoping she heard him.

Her small hands stroked up and down his back in comforting motions. "She's alive because of you," Donna stated. "Don't ever forget that."

"I won't," Oliver promised.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a two week hiatus, I'm back with an albeit short but important chapter. Just two more left after this one. Holy shit! Not gonna lie, this is a HUGE feat for me. I've NEVER written a story this long, nor have I ever wanted to continue writing a second part to it. I can't wait to begin part 2! I already have a title for it, so woohoo! Now, I just need the rest of the plot and some artwork and I'm done. LOL. Sounds so simple, doesn't it?

"I didn't lay a hand on her, Iris! I swear on my sister's life, I have never,  _ever_ hurt Felicity!"

The sound of Oliver's angry voice was the first thing she heard upon waking up after surgery, something Felicity hadn't expected. After all the hell she'd been through in the last three days, she had hoped to find a little solace in glancing up to see his face hovering above hers, a tired smile on his lips beaming down at her as somewhat of a consolation prize. But instead, she ended up with him arguing with Iris out in the hallway by her door.

"Then explain why she came here in a bloody dress shirt and yoga pants on one of the coldest days so far this December?" Iris shot back, her voice rising with every word that tumbled from her mouth.

"That is none of your business!" Oliver retorted. "What happens in the privacy of our home is between us!"

"So you're admitting something happened!" she pointed out.

"I'm not admitting anything!" he argued.

Even though she'd only been awake for a few minutes, Felicity was already growing tired of their bickering. And this topic of discussion needed to end before it got people in trouble. Besides, all she wanted was the man she loved by her side, holding her hand as she tried to wake up from the painful rearrangement of her bowels. "Oliver," she meekly called out, but her voice was too low and rough to be heard.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't go to the cops right now and say something," Iris relentlessly continued her verbal assault, not budging on her stance.

Felicity decided to try again. The longer they argued, the worse the situation could become. She needed them to stop. "Oliver!" she cried out. It sounded more like a desperate whimper, but it got the job done. The shuffle of sneakers on linoleum echoed off the walls before his face appeared from behind the privacy curtain that had been pulled shut. Her right hand reached out, seeking the warmth of his fingers as he wrapped them around hers and brought them to his lips.

After pressing a line of kisses across her knuckles, Oliver gazed down at her with a soft smile and whispered, "Hi, baby. How do you feel?"

"Tired," she replied. His free hand then reached out to brush errant strands of her golden hair away from her face and she leaned into the warmth of his touch, chasing it until his palm was against her cheek. "Please stop fighting with Iris," Felicity added upon seeing the other woman peeking out from behind his broad shoulders.

"I'm sorry, baby," Oliver sighed, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead.

"She's a good person," Felicity continued. "A good friend… She's just looking out for me and Barry." The pain meds were starting to kick in, slurring her words as she spoke while making her thoughts stray. Her eyes settled on Iris and she asked, "How is Barry? Is he okay?"

Iris stepped forward, moving to the opposite side of the bed from Oliver, and replied, "He's good." A smile had found its way onto her lips as she continued, "He squeezed my hand yesterday. And this morning, he finally opened his eyes."

"Oh, that's so good to hear," Felicity mumbled as her eyes began to droop. "Maybe I can come visit him later?"

"When you're better," Oliver said before pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. "Just rest for now, okay?" he whispered, kissing her forehead once more as his thumb stroked across her skin. "And when you wake up, there'll be a surprise waiting for you."

"Mmm… kay," Felicity slurred before closing her eyes again. She hovered in and out of consciousness for the rest of the day, her senses dulled by the amount of painkillers and antibiotics flooding through her system.

The next time she fully awoke, Iris had gone but Oliver sat beside her, his hand wrapped around hers with his nose buried in a paperback novel. He thumbed to the next page and she squeezed his fingers to let him know she was awake. His head immediately shot up, exhausted azure eyes focusing on her, the dark circles beneath them growing more and more prominent as time went on.

"Hi," Felicity rasped, a small smile appearing on her dry lips.

"Hi," Oliver whispered back as he leaned forward, his book forgotten in his lap. "How are you feeling?"

"Hmm… so-so," she answered. Her body ached all over, but at least the stabbing pain in her gut was gone. "What's this surprise you had waiting for me?"

A warm smile lit up his face as he let go of her hand. "Sit tight. I'll be right back," Oliver said as he put his book down on the nightstand beside her bed and leaned over to kiss her forehead.

Although Felicity didn't like the prospect of being left alone, the look on his face was enough to keep her in high spirits. Whatever his surprise was, judging from his excitement, it had to be something she would like. Closing her eyes, Felicity sighed as she waited for his return, and when quiet footsteps padded into her room, her head turned in their direction.

"Oh, my beautiful baby girl!" her mother's voice rang out as her eyes snapped open.

"Mom?" Felicity asked, unable to believe her mother had flown all the way from Las Vegas to Starling City in order to see her.

"I'm here, sweetheart!" Donna practically sang out as she neared the bed. "I'm so glad to see you," she added, leaning forward to wrap Felicity in a tight hug.

"Oh, Mom," was all she could say before the tears began flowing down her cheeks. They hugged for quite a while, both women crying as they held each other for the first time in several years.

When the waterworks finally died down, Donna took a seat in the chair Oliver had previously occupied, grabbing Felicity's hand and holding onto it tight. "I'm so thankful you're alive," she sniffled. "How are you feeling? Are you okay? Do you need anything? Food? Water? More painkillers?"

"I'm okay, Mom," Felicity replied, giving her mother a tiny smile as she squeezed her fingers. Behind her, she could see Oliver leaning against the doorway, his eyes sparkling in the low light coming from the single incandescent bulb above his head. He was smiling, too, something Felicity was grateful for because she knew how her mother could be sometimes.

"If you need anything, you just let me know and I'll go get a nurse right away," Donna said. Her daughter nodded, and soon silence filled the room once more. "It's so good to see you."

Felicity could tell her mother was about to burst into tears. It wasn't exactly what she wanted for their first meeting in so long, but then again, the hospital wasn't exactly the ideal location either, especially after everything that had happened. "It's good to see you too, Mom," she softly replied.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Donna asked. This time, Felicity could see the distraught expression on her mother's face and knew it was time to drop the act.

She shook her head, gripping Donna's hand tightly. "No, not really," Felicity whimpered, the emotions she'd been holding back all this time finally breaking through the dam she'd built around them. Instinctively, her mother wrapped her arms around her daughter, providing her the comfort she so desperately wanted at that moment.

Although things with Donna had always been a little crazy and flaky, Felicity knew she could count on her mother for the support she needed in times of need. Right now, she couldn't have been more relieved. Nothing hung in the air between them. Nothing was too harsh or unbearable. It felt like a new lease on life, and Felicity would take advantage of it for as long as she could. Her mother had always been a strong woman and an inspiration to her, and everyday she strived to be just like her: caring and compassionate with steel for a backbone.

It was the only way Felicity could have survived the life she'd been through. Having her mother's strength and courage proved to be invaluable in situations like these, and she was forever grateful for having this woman in her life. Even if Donna didn't know all her secrets, Felicity knew she could count on her when things got rough. Right now, it meant everything to her. It gave her courage to fight the demons that had plagued her since the assault.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," Donna said. "I'm here now and I know you'll be alright."

They held each other for several more minutes, crying and hugging, before Donna pulled away. A long chat about life followed, one that only ended when the nurse came in to administer Felicity's nightly dose of pain medication. The conversation continued for a little while longer, Donna turning her focus on Oliver, who had thankfully disappeared a while ago.

"He's so handsome and sweet and incredibly honest," Donna gushed after telling Felicity how she'd heard from the news that he'd been the one to save her life. "That boy is definitely a keeper, if I do say so myself."

"Yeah, he definitely is," Felicity replied, her mind drifting, latching onto the memory of the first time he'd confessed his love for her. It filtered through the fog of her ordeal, standing out like a beacon in the darkness.

"I know that look," Donna said, knocking Felicity out of her thoughts. "You love him, don't you?"

Felicity found herself nodding. "I do," she answered, her voice softening, "very much."

"And he loves you too, doesn't he?"

"He does," Felicity confessed.

"I figured as much," Donna replied. "There are few men that would go to the lengths he went to in order to save the woman they loved. I'm happy you have someone like him in your life."

Felicity smiled. "Me too," she mumbled, the pain medication having taken effect fully now. She yawned, trying to force her eyes to stay open, but it was too much of a struggle.

"Get some rest, sweetheart," Donna whispered as she leaned over the bed and pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead. Felicity was out moments later, content with having her mother at her side that night instead of Oliver.

* * *

It was morning when Felicity awoke again. Beside her, Oliver sat with his hand wrapped around hers, head resting on the bed and eyes closed. She moved slightly, wiggling her fingers out of his grasp so she could run them through his hair. His soft, content sigh and the way he seemed to curl closer to her let her know he enjoyed her touch.

"Good morning," Oliver murmured without opening his eyes. They were still outlined in black, the heavy circles making him look far older than he actually was.

She smiled, brushing her fingers through his hair once more, letting the quiet sink in for just a bit before she spoke. "You look tired," Felicity rasped.

"I'm okay," Oliver replied. His voice betrayed his words, though, coming out harsh and deep. He opened his eyes then, those deep azure pools staring back at her with such love and adoration, it nearly took Felicity's breath away.

"Liar," she shot back with a smile.

"Okay… Maybe a little tired," he relented, his fingers twining with hers before bringing her hand to his lips. That's when she noticed the bruises on his knuckles.

"Oliver, what happened?" Felicity asked as she brought his hand closer to her face to examine the damage.

"Nothing…" he said. But when her thumb brushed across the bruises as her eyes searched his, Oliver admitted, "I got angry and punched a wall."

"Was it because of what happened with Iris yesterday?" she replied.

"No," he answered, his eyes falling to their intertwined hands.

Felicity sighed, letting go of his fingers and reaching out to place her palm against his cheek. "Why did you do it?" she asked. He was a little scruffier than she was used to, but it didn't impede the warmth that spread through her when Oliver tilted his head and pressed his lips to her palm. Then he laid his hand over hers and gave her a smile that nearly melted her heart. "You're trying to soften the blow, aren't you?" Felicity said.

"Is it working?" he replied, his lips hovering over her wrist as his warm breaths fanned out across her skin.

"I'm high on painkillers. I think anything you do will work," she retorted, tilting her head slightly as she waited for him to answer.

With a sigh, Oliver folded her hand between his larger ones and said, "I'm just… so angry about what they did to you…"

"Shh." Felicity pulled her hand away and pressed her fingers against his lips. "Let's not talk about that. I don't wanna deal with it right now. Please," she practically begged, her voice cracking at the last word. It was still far too raw a topic to talk about, and she needed time before there could ever be a conversation about  _it_  or about how to deal with  _it_.

"Of course," he replied while reaching out to smooth the crease that had formed between her brows. "Um… so the doctor said you could go home in a few days. She's starting you on a liquid diet tonight, then after forty-eight hours, you'll be able to eat soft foods. Once you can keep them down, I can take you home."

Felicity's face fell. "But where is home?" she asked. "The penthouse makes me feel uncomfortable and my apartment…" Tears began to well in her eyes just thinking about her apartment. It wasn't her home anymore. It was a crime scene holding only terrible memories that she simply wanted to forget.

But when her eyes flicked up to his, she could see the pain written all over Oliver's face. "I'm so sorry, baby," he brokenly whispered. The unshed tears glistening in his eyes made it seem like a vice had clamped down on her heart and was squeezing it in her chest.

"We just… can't catch a break, can we?" Felicity quietly wept.

Rising from his chair, Oliver leaned over the rail of her bed, taking her face in his hands as he pressed a kiss to her lips. "It seems like it," he admitted, a single tear rolling down his cheek as his forehead came to rest against hers. "But I promise you," he added, his voice strong with conviction, "I'll do whatever,  _whatever_ it takes to help you get through this, just like I promised not to let you go. We're in this together, Felicity, and together, we'll overcome whatever happens."


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For a second there, I thought I'd be too tired to finish the rewrite of this chapter. Guess not! Woohoo! Posting on time today, just as I hoped.
> 
>  
> 
> **Gonna add a warning to this chapter, though. Felicity has a graphic nightmare of her attack towards the end, so brace yourselves for a terrible flashback scene that's reminiscent of chapter 27. Feel free to skip over it if it's going to make you queasy.**

It took nearly a week of struggling to force food down her throat before Felicity could finally keep something in her stomach without throwing up. This small milestone in her recovery allowed her to leave the hospital with Oliver and Diggle in tow along with more flowers, cards, and teddy bears than she knew what to do with. Most of those gifts had come from her friends at the club, some from coworkers at Queen Consolidated, and several from Thea and Roy, who hadn't been able to make it out to see her, Oliver said.

A few visitors had also stopped by to see her. Helena had come a few times with kind words of encouragement and a bouquet of fresh cut calla lilies. Another visitor had been Det. Lance, who Oliver nearly turned away if he hadn't promised that he wasn't there to get her statement. He simply wanted to check on her for his own piece of mind and Sara's. The mention of the other's woman's name had put Felicity in a sour mood for the rest of the day, something Oliver sensed the moment Det. Lance had spoken it. He ushered the man out of her suite before she could get upset, and that was the end of it.

Lance had returned a few days later to take her statement, after Felicity had managed to convince Oliver to go home and shower. Even with her mother there to comfort her and hold her hand, there really wasn't much she could say. Felicity's memories of that night were still very hazy, and only a handful of details stuck out in her mind. Det. Lance thanked her for what she did manage to remember and slipped her his card, asking her to call whenever she have more information. The encounter left her physically and emotionally drained, and she'd slept fitfully for the next twenty-four hours.

Donna had stayed for a few more days, forcing Oliver to go home and get some rest while she took care of Felicity, but she knew he wouldn't stray far from her room. It was more likely that he'd fallen asleep in the waiting room judging from the rumpled clothes he'd walk in with the following days. Yes, he'd changed, but Felicity had a sinking suspicion that someone had simply dropped off a duffle bag full of clothes instead of actually making him go home to sleep on a proper bed.

After three days, Donna had to head back to Vegas, to return to a job she enjoyed even if it meant long hours. Assured that her daughter was being well taken care of, she kissed Felicity on the forehead before turning to Oliver and wrapping her arms around him then kissing his prickly cheek. The flush that colored his face and the broad smile on his lips told Felicity he enjoyed her mother more than he'd ever let on, and that made her smile as well, watching the man she loved get along with the most important figure in her life.

In that way, she felt blessed. Felicity had never imagined Oliver and Donna meeting under any circumstances. After all, he had been her client, but the lines were now blurred, and what shouldn't have made sense felt right and good for the first time in her life. And she wanted her mother to get along with the man she loved. Seeing the way they interacted while she pretended to sleep in the morning was a treat, and she knew some day in the future there was a possibility of having more of this.

But today, Felicity was headed home, wherever home turned out to be. Oliver had kept quiet about where he planned to take her, but while she'd been pretending to be asleep, she'd heard bits and pieces of his phone calls discussing renovations. Still, it wasn't enough to give her any indication as to where they'd be going after she finished signing the discharge papers.

Handing the pen and clipboard back to the nurse, Felicity glanced over at Oliver from where she sat in the hospital mandated wheelchair wearing loose fitting yoga pants, a t-shirt, and her favorite MIT hoodie. He looked a little more like himself that afternoon, his eyes bright and a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. She reached out so her hand fell to his forearm. When he gazed down at her, she smiled.

"Ready?" Oliver asked as he moved behind the wheelchair to unlock the wheels.

"Yeah," Felicity sighed. This was the first time she felt like she could breathe since finding out about the stalker. Now that said stalker and his accomplice were finally behind bars, her chest didn't feel as tight as it had before. Although they'd caused her unspeakable pain, she was ready to move on, to become a survivor instead of a victim. But first there was one thing she needed to do before leaving the hospital.

"Oliver," she said as he wheeled her out of the room and into the quiet hallway.

He paused and replied, "Yeah?"

"Can we go see Barry?" Oliver hesitated for a moment before she realized just how monumental of a task that would be given his spat with Iris only days earlier. "You don't have to come in with me if that makes you feel better," Felicity continued. "But I would really like to see how he's doing."

"If that's what you want, then I'll take you to see him," Oliver sighed. He switched direction and wheeled them down to the end of the corridor, stopping at a room marked twelve-twenty. "He was moved here after he woke up," Oliver answered the unspoken question he saw in her eyes.

"Oh," Felicity replied.

He wheeled her through the open door before locking the chair in place. Wrapping his arm around her waist, Oliver gently brought her to her feet. "I'll be right outside if you need me," he whispered into her ear then pressed a kiss to her temple.

Still on shaky legs from the amount of time she'd spent in a hospital bed, Felicity wobbled behind the privacy curtain to find Barry sitting up with Iris perched at his side. The smiles on their faces were warm and wide as they quietly talked between themselves. She cleared her throat to announce her presence, and both sets of eyes fell on her.

"Felicity!" Iris practically squealed when she saw her. The brunette shot off the bed and immediately ran to her side, her arms gently sliding around her waist for a hug. "How are you feeling? Are you headed home?"

"I'm good, and yeah, I just signed my discharge papers, but I wanted to see Barry before I left," Felicity answered, her eyes landing on the man that had occupied a great deal of space in her thoughts for the past few weeks.

"Felicity," he said, his smile growing until it reached his eyes. His face was still bruised, but it was evident he was healing from the fact that it was now a light yellowish tone instead of the deep purple it had been when she last saw him.

"Hey, you," she softly replied, returning it with a grin of her own. Felicity could feel the tears that gathered at the corners of her eyes as she stepped closer to his bed. To see Barry awake and talking was something she hadn't been able to fathom just a few weeks ago.

"C'mere," he said, arms outstretched and waiting for her to go in for a hug.

Felicity didn't hesitate. She hobbled into his embrace, mindful of her left arm and the stitches across her abdomen. But the pain was easily outmatched by the pure joy of feeling her friend's arms wrap around her and hold her tight to his chest. A soft sob left her lips, and although she tried to pull back to wipe away the tears that were now rushing down her cheeks, Barry wouldn't let her. Instead, he held her tighter, burying his face in her neck, and she could feel that he had begun to cry as well.

"I was so worried about you," Felicity murmured into his shaggy brown hair. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"I was so worried about you after I heard what happened," Barry replied. "Thank god you're okay. Wait… Are you okay?"

Felicity pulled away, her hand coming up to rest against his chest, right above his heart. "I'm alive," came her watery response.

"And I couldn't be happier," he said, giving her another beaming smile as his eyes roamed her body. They settled on the sling covering her left arm and frowned. To her surprise and relief, Barry didn't say anything about it. He simply tangled his fingers in hers and gave her left hand a gentle squeeze.

"So, um, when do you get to go home?" Felicity asked, not wanting the silence to envelope them for too long since it tended to set her mind thinking about what had led them here.

"Hopefully soon," Barry replied. "Dr. Thawne said he wanted to run a few more tests before letting me out of here. Apparently it's all part of making sure my brain is working properly so I don't have any problems in the future."

"That's good," she said, "really good. I'm glad you're on the fast track to recovery. Maybe after you get out, we can grab some coffee or something."

"I'd like that." Barry smiled at her again before she noticed it waver. Then he asked, "So are you really with Oliver Queen now?"

Felicity bit her lip. She still hadn't seen the news and how they were playing off her relationship with Oliver. For the past week, he'd managed to keep her away from all electronic devices, including the TV in her room, and it was unsettling. It made her wonder what he might be keeping from her. She couldn't think about that now, though. Barry's eyes had settled on her face and he was waiting for an answer.

"Yes," Felicity quietly admitted. "Oliver and I are together."

"For how long?"

"A while."

Barry nodded. "And you told him, about your stalker?"

Of course he wouldn't ask her if she was happy or why she hadn't told him. Leave it to Barry Allen to ask the difficult questions. "As soon as I found out about what happened to you," Felicity answered.

Again, he nodded, holding her hand a little tighter. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you find the guy before he hurt you."

"Oh, Barry," Felicity cooed. She wrapped her arm around him again and brought him in for another hug. She hadn't expected him to say that, but again, the crime scene investigator she knew and adored had come out. "It was the same person who hurt you. Please don't blame yourself for any of this. It was that psycho's fault. Him and his partner are rotting in jail right now."

"But at what expense?" Barry softly asked as he pulled away. "He nearly beat me to death and then he kidnapped and raped you. I don't even know how to begin dealing with that."

She swallowed down the emotions that bubbled up in her chest as soon as he mentioned her ordeal. Felicity still found it hard to accept what had happened to her, and although she thought she could avoid it, there would always be someone mentioning it. "I don't either," she said. "One day at a time, I guess."

It was a half hearted response, Felicity knew, but it was all she could give at that moment. Both Dr. Caraway and Oliver had suggested she see a therapist as soon as possible, but with everything currently going on in her life, she was hesitant. Maybe after the physical injuries healed, she'd be ready to deal with the mental and emotional ones, but right now, it was too fresh in her mind, and she just didn't want to think about it.

"I need to go," Felicity said as she stood up, her hand falling out of his. "I'm very tired and Oliver's waiting to take me home."

"Okay," Barry replied with a nod. She could see he wanted to say more, but was holding back, and she was grateful because at that moment, Felicity didn't think she could handle anymore questions or conversations about what she would do now. That was something she would rather deal with at a later time, when her body didn't feel as if it was being weighed down by a ton of cinder blocks.

Felicity leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "I'll see you soon, Barry," she said.

"Take care of yourself," he replied before she stepped away from the bed.

"I will," Felicity replied. "Bye, Barry."

"Bye, Felicity."

Turning, she hobbled over to where Iris stood beside the curtain. Her eyes were on her phone, but Felicity could see she had been eavesdropping on their conversation. "I know what you're thinking," she said as she sidled up to Iris.

"What am I thinking?" Iris replied, slipping her phone into her pocket before wrapping an arm around Felicity's waist to hold her steady.

"You're angry that you didn't get to punch the guy who put Barry in the hospital," she said.

"Well, considering they both went into police custody with partially severed genitalia, I'm not really that mad," Iris answered.

Felicity cocked her head, her brows furrowing. She hadn't heard about that. It made her think for a second about what Oliver had said to her early on in her hospital stay.  _"I did some… deplorable things in order to save your life."_  Was this what he was talking about? If so, she now understood why. And yet, she didn't feel unsettled by it. Instead, Felicity was actually happy. If she had been in his position, she probably would have just cut off their dicks without a second thought and left them to bleed out. That idea alone made her chest puff out a little with pride, as crazy and despicable as it was.

"But I'm still concerned about you and Oliver," Iris said, knocking her out of her deranged thoughts.

"Look, Iris, there really is nothing to worry about," Felicity assured her. "Oliver and I are in a good place right now, all things considered. I love him, very much, and I know he loves me. So, whatever you're thinking about him being a bad guy, please don't because he is the kindest, most incredible man I've ever met."

"But that's what the victim always says," Iris tried to argue.

"I'm  _not_ a victim," Felicity vehemently cut her off. "Oliver has never, ever hurt me through the course of our relationship. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here right now."

"Then ease my mind and tell me what happened that night you came to the hospital with a bloody shirt," Iris practically begged.

"If you think he had something to do with that, he didn't. It was someone else, but it's not something I want to discuss with anyone," Felicity firmly stated. "Like Oliver said, what happens in the privacy of our home isn't anyone's business, and I would appreciate it if we could keep it that way."

Iris let out an exasperated sigh. "Alright," she relented, throwing her hands up in surrender. "Just please take care of yourself. And if you need anything, don't hesitate to call me or Barry. I know we've only known each other for a very short time, but you're a good person, Felicity, and if Barry trusts you, then I trust you."

"Thank you, Iris," she replied. "I appreciate that." Felicity gave her a hug then stepped back out into the hallway. "I'll see you around," she added over her shoulder.

"See you later," Iris called out.

Out in the hallway Oliver stood waiting. His arm immediately came around Felicity's waist, holding her steady until she had eased herself back into the wheelchair. "Take me home," she sighed, already exhausted from the short conversation she'd had with her friends.

"Let's go home," Oliver agreed as he unlocked the wheels and began pushing her down the hall toward the elevators. In the garage, Diggle waited for them standing beside a black sedan, the back windows tinted as dark as the paint itself allowing Felicity to look out while no one could look in. That little feature came in handy when they exited the secure lot into traffic and the car was swarmed by shouting reporters and photographers snapping away as the vehicle moved past them.

She immediately jerked away from the window, her right arm flying around Oliver's waist as she hid her face in the soft leather of his jacket. "It's okay," he whispered into her ear as his hand came up to stroke the back of her head. Felicity stayed rooted to him until Diggle had expertly maneuvered them out of the media frenzy and onto the road. When her head bobbed up to look out the windshield, she found them heading toward the highway out of the city.

Her arms stiffened as she gazed up at Oliver, slightly apprehensive about where they were going. In all the years Felicity had lived in Starling City, she hadn't really made it out of the city limits much. He seemed to understand her hesitation and asked, "Do you trust me?" She nodded. She had trusted him since the day they met and would until her last breath. "Then I think you'll like where we're going." His smile allowed her to ease up a little, her head coming to rest on his shoulder as Diggle continued to drive.

After about half an hour, they reached a heavily wooded area, far away from civilization somewhere in the mountains that surrounded the city. Felicity stared out the windshield, marveling at the tall cedar and pine trees they passed until they reached an exit ramp. Another ten minutes and Diggle turned down a winding paved driveway. It took longer than she expected to follow it to its destination, but once they were there, her jaw dropped.

The trees opened up to a sparkling, crystal clear lake with a view of the mountains behind it that rivaled any travel brochure she'd ever seen. Beside it was a gorgeous three-story log cabin made of rich hued redwood that looked more like a mansion. It had a grey stone chimney that jutted out from the roof and a wraparound porch with quaint little wooden chairs that matched the rest of the house. Tall, wide windows allowed light to stream in from all directions, giving it an airy feel. Felicity tried to take it all in, but the shock of seeing this place, so far removed from civilization and yet looking so palatial had her rooted in her seat.

"Do you like it?" Oliver softly asked, gently nudging her out of her stupor.

Words failed her as she opened and closed her mouth several times trying to string some coherent thought together, but nothing came out, so she simply nodded. "It's… It's beautiful," she finally managed to mumble as Diggle opened Oliver's door to let them out. The cold burst of air that hit her body had Felicity shivering, but she was soon scooped up into his arms so he could carry her the short distance to the front door. Her head burrowed into the crook of his neck seeking out the warmth he so readily gave.

When Oliver set her down, they were standing on the porch, his key already out and sliding into the lock. Pushing the door open revealed more natural redwood beauty beyond the threshold. He wrapped an arm around Felicity's waist and guided her inside. The scent of pine, amber, sandalwood, and cedar hit her nose, and she took a deep breath. It smelled like a more concentrated version of the man beside her and she couldn't help but smile. Hints of leather soon wafted in her direction and she glanced around the large front room to find its source: a dark brown leather couch, sofa, and recliner set spread evenly around the stone fireplace on the west wall of the house.

Felicity's eyes followed the multicolored natural bricks up, up, up until she caught sight of the ornate ironwork that lined the third floor landing before turning her head to find the gorgeous kitchen on the southern end of the house. It took up over a quarter of the open space, it's grey marble countertops complementing the fireplace. The appliances were all a shade of dusty black, giving them a more natural feel that went along with the rest of the house.

Although it was quite a bit to take in, Felicity kept glancing in all directions, noticing the little intricacies and homely touches: the sheepskin lamp shades decorated with traditional Native American motifs, wrought iron chandeliers with matching sheepskin shades, and family photos strewn all over in frames. She wandered deeper into the inviting room, picking up one of the images of a smiling family with two young children and their parents.

Behind her, Oliver came up and wrapped his arm around her waist. "My family," he stated. "My dad, who you already know, my mom, Moira, my sister, Thea, and me. That photo was taken close to ten years ago, which was about the same time we stopped coming here. It's been sitting abandoned for a while now. I figured now would be the perfect time to get it back into shape again."

"You… you did this… for me?" Felicity murmured. The smile that lit up Oliver's face as he watched her take it all in made her heart feel a little lighter. "But… how? You rarely never left my hospital room."

"I called in a favor," Oliver replied as he gently took the photo out of her hands and set it back down on the table where it originally sat. He nudged Felicity along, toward the spiral staircase that led upstairs to the third floor where she assumed the bedrooms were located. "Thea felt bad for what happened at Queen Consolidated and wanted to do something nice for you, so I had her redecorate the place to make it feel more… homely?"

"Well, it's beautiful and I love it," Felicity replied. Although she was still weary of Oliver's sister, she had to admit the girl had good taste when it came to decor.

She only managed to climb a few of the worn wooden steps before getting winded. Within moments, Felicity found herself in his arms again, her head coming to rest against his shoulder as he carried her the rest of the way. This feeling of helplessness was one she hated, but her body was still too weak to move for long periods of time and she was grateful that Oliver was there to help her. He had become a pillar of strength, someone she could lean on in this difficult time, someone who had her back when no one else did.

He carried her into the master bedroom, and the decor from the rest of the house carried over into the large suite. Rich, dark grain woods were everywhere. The bed was a four-poster made of redwood and draped in rich green silken sheets. It was softer on the eyes, giving the room an even more earthy tone, if that was even possible.

Felicity couldn't help but smile. This was the opposite of the penthouse. It was a new space she and Oliver could now claim as their own. She liked this new place, liked that it was different from the one in the city. It held no traces of the pain she'd experienced. Now, she and Oliver could make new memories here, happy memories, she hoped.

He set her down on the cool, silken sheets of their new bed, being ever so gentle with her arm as he let her head fall to the pillow. Felicity sank into the soft mattress beneath her back almost immediately, her eyes drooping shut as she let out a little sigh of contentment. Above her, she heard Oliver chuckle before he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Get some rest, baby," he said.

He was about to pull away when she reached out and grabbed his hand. "Stay with me," Felicity murmured, cracking and eye open to see him smile, and he kicked off his shoes. She was glad he had dressed much like she had that day, in a soft grey t-shirt and black sweats. It allowed him to pull back the sheets without having to change first.

"Okay," Oliver softly replied, sliding into bed beside her. His arms wrapped around her waist. She was pulled into the warm expanse of his chest, her right hand tucked beneath her while her left rested against her hip. Without prompting, he unstrapped the sling and slid a pillow beneath it, adjusting until Felicity let out another content sigh when she was finally comfortable.

"Thank you," she rasped. A kiss was pressed against the corded muscles of his neck before she nestled her head against it and closed her eyes. Sleep came almost immediately knowing that Oliver was there beside her, holding her close and keeping the monsters in her head at bay.

* * *

"No! Please, stop! No! Don't!" Felicity whimpered as she huddled in a corner of an empty room, her hands up, shielding her face from the onslaught of people crowding around her. Completely naked and shivering, she pulled her legs closer to her body, trying to curl in on herself, but several sets of hands grabbed her and held her down.

A tall man loomed over her, his face obscured by black shadows. But she could see the diabolical smile on his lips as another hand forced her chin up so they stared into each other's eyes. Terrified out of her mind, Felicity again repeated her pleas, begging him to stop, to let her go, until the man above her spoke.

"Dirty slut," he sneered in a distorted voice, wrapping his fingers around his thick cock and pumping it several times as he stepped closer to her. "That's all you'll ever be. A dirty, worthless whore for me to use as I please."

She tried to look away, but then his hand connected with her cheek as he roared, "Do not turn away from me when I speak!" He slapped her again, then grabbed her chin with his large hand, holding it steady as he bent down so they were eye to eye. Felicity's blood ran cold. The shadows lightened revealing icy blue eyes.

"Cooper," she wept, his face suddenly coming into sharp focus.

"Serve your purpose, cunt!" he growled, whipping his cock against her cheek as he spilled his seed all over her face.

"No!" Felicity screamed before her eyes finally shot open. Breathing ragged, her gaze darted around the room as she blinked several times to get her bearings. Her face still tingled as if there was something dripping down it, and she pushed aside the silken green sheets she'd been wrapped in, desperately wanting to wash away the remnants of her nightmare.

Somehow she managed to stumble into the en suite bathroom on shaky legs even as pain seared through her. Everything from her shoulder to her chest and abdomen hurt, forcing a groan from Felicity's lips as she pulled open the door to the shower to her right and turned on the water. Only one thought went through her mind: she needed to wash away whatever remained of Cooper on her body. She stripped out of her hoodie, t-shirt and yoga pants, letting them fall to the floor at her feet before she stepped into the glass enclosure.

Cold water rained down her body causing Felicity to shiver while she pressed her forehead against the grey slate tiles. More tears streamed down her cheeks as she was assaulted by images of that fateful day. Her body sank down until she was sprawled across the cold stone floor, her knees coming up to her chin so she could rest her head against them as she continued to cry.

That's how Oliver found her a few minutes later. He rushed into the bathroom and quickly turned off the water. Kneeling beside her, he folded his arms around her body and brought her into the warmth of his chest. "Felicity," he breathed against her wet skin. "What are you doing, baby? What happened?"

"I need to get him off me," she wept, swiping her right hand across her face as water trickled down from her hair. "I need to wash him away. I can't have him on me anymore!" Felicity's voice rose until she was nearly yelling at Oliver.

His arms tightened around her, his hands cradling the back of her head as he guided it to the crook of his neck. "Who, baby?" Oliver murmured against her ear. "Who do you need to wash away?"

"Cooper!" Felicity cried as he buried her face in the soft cotton of his dark blue henley.

For several minutes, Oliver rocked her back and forth, his arms protectively wrapped around her while his shirt absorbed the cold water clinging to her skin. Slowly, he began to stand up, lifting them both to their feet. He stripped out of the wet shirt and his jeans until he stood naked beside her and turned on the water, this time making sure it was warm instead of cold.

"Let me help you," Oliver whispered as he reached behind her to grab an unopened bar of soap from the shelf at her back. He unwrapped it, discarding the paper where his clothes were stacked on the floor behind them, and began lathering it up in his hands all while Felicity remained pressed to his side. She flinched when they came to rest at her shoulders.

"If you're uncomfortable, don't hesitate to tell me to stop," Oliver said. "I don't want to hurt you. I just want to help you."

Felicity nodded, "Oh-okay…" His hands began to move slowly, spreading the soap across her back. His touch was gentle, unhurried; just a soft caress against her skin that washed away the terrible memories of that fateful day. But no matter how gentle Oliver was, the images returned, so painfully clear and vivid when he reached her hips.

A shuddering sob escaped Felicity's lips as she pushed him away and wrapped her arms around herself. "Stop!" she cried, turning her back to him. Oliver immediately took a step back, giving her however much space she needed. "I'm sorry," Felicity wept. "It's just… too much. I'm sorry, Oliver. I'm so sorry…"

"It's okay," he replied, still keeping his distance. She knew he desperately wanted to reach out and comfort her, but that wasn't what she wanted. She also knew he'd do whatever she asked, and if it meant staying away from her, then so be it.

Making such a gut wrenching decision put Felicity at odds with herself. On one hand, there was Oliver, so kind and so loving and so caring that she just wanted to run into his arms and stay there for the rest of her life. On the other, the horror of Cooper's assault lingered, casting a dark shadow on every touch, every kiss Oliver gave her. It tainted all her good memories and any experiences that came after.

Again, she found herself sliding to the bathroom floor as Oliver stood back and watched. Out of the corner of her eye, Felicity could see the pain and desperation etched on his face, the war raging inside him. He wanted to comfort her, to hold her the way he always had, but he didn't. Instead, he slid down the opposite wall and waited. That was all she could ask of him.

Oliver waited for a good ten minutes as she silently cried with her back to him, her shoulders shaking with the force of her sobs until Felicity had no more tears to cry. Exhaustion overtook her body, quickly followed by the pain she had willed away until it finally broke through, sharp and all consuming. Her body slumped against the tiled wall before sliding down further, until she lay beneath the warm spray of the shower at Oliver's feet.

He kneeled down, hovering just within reach, and asked. "Baby, are you okay?"

"Everything… hurts," was all Felicity could manage as she lay there.

"Can… Is it…?" Oliver stuttered, looking for the words to express what they both knew he wanted to ask.

"Please," Felicity whispered, understanding him completely. He was looking for permission to touch her again, and now that the terrible feelings had passed, she wanted nothing more than his body pressed against hers.

The water was turned off and moments later, a thick, white terry cloth robe was draped over her. Ever so gently, she felt Oliver's arms slide beneath her shoulders and knees, hoisting her up until she settled flush against his chest. With every step he took, pain radiated out from her shoulder and her chest and a myriad of other places across her body. It wasn't until he laid her out on the bed did it finally lessen.

"I'll go get you some Vicodin," Oliver said as he pulled her arms through the robed then tucked the covers around her body, enveloping her in warmth.

Closing her eyes, Felicity tried to block out the images that still remained from her ordeal. She attempted to convince herself that Oliver's touch was nothing like Cooper's. Oliver represented love and safety. His arms around her body always soothed her battered soul, but Cooper had tainted that for her. He'd tainted everything that was ever good in her life. With one touch and just a few words, he'd sullied her memories and turned every caress into something she wanted to shy away from.

But there was a deep rooted desire to overcome this obstacle. For the first time in her life, Felicity Smoak had finally found someone more than willing to accept her, all of her, and love her for the person she was, tragic back-story and all. She didn't want to let that slip through her fingers. With renewed determination, she vowed to fight for what she wanted, no matter how long it would take or how hard it would be. Oliver Queen was worth it.

And when he returned a few minutes later, pain pills in hand, Felicity didn't hesitate to reach out to him once she'd downed them with a glass of water. Oliver fell into bed beside her when she tugged his arm. He looked slightly apprehensive at first, but she smiled when his eyes found hers.

"Are you okay?" he asked, gazing down at her, concern still written all over his face.

Again, she smiled, and replied, "I will be." Felicity tucked herself against his chest, glad that he had returned.

"You wanna talk about it?"

"Not yet."

He nodded. "Well, when you're ready, I'll be right here," Oliver said. "And like I said earlier, if I do anything to make you feel uncomfortable, don't hesitate to tell me. I want you to feel safe."

"Being with you, I already feel safe," Felicity replied as her smile widened. He wrapped his hand around hers and brought it up to his lips to press a line of kisses against her knuckles. Oliver smiled back at her, his bright azure eyes shining in the late afternoon sunshine that streamed in through the windows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, boy! Second to last chapter! Get ready for some god awful feels in the last one because that one is going to kick you RIGHT WHERE IT HURTS! My muse is showing no mercy, so I felt the need to warn you.


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it, folks, the last chapter. I can't believe I've actually finished this story! It's bittersweet because this has been my baby for almost a year now. Look on the bright side, though, part 2 is on the horizon! I'll begin writing that in November for NaNoWriMo this year. Hopefully by December I'll have a good chunk of it completed so I can start posting.
> 
> So, without further adieu, here's the final chapter of After Hours.

The next three weeks brought a slew of changes in Felicity's life. Although she slept for close to fifteen hours a day, a physical therapist began working with her three times a week. The woman was about her age, with long brown hair and soft blue eyes, and for the first few sessions, Felicity continually forgot her name because of the amount of painkillers in her system. It wouldn't be until the second week that she found out. Linda Park guided her through exercise after exercise, strengthening her shoulder and helping ease the pain throughout the rest of her body without the use of medication.

Oliver had hired a team of doctors to visit at least once a week to check and make sure Felicity was physically healing as well as her doctors at the hospital expected. Surgical sutures were always checked twice daily to make sure there wasn't an infection until it came time to take out the stitches. She hadn't been a happy camper that day since it involved a set of very sharp scissors and tweezers to pull the threads out from her abdomen. But the doctor had been quick and precise, taking no more than a few minutes to take all ten of them out while Oliver held her hand and kept her distracted with talk of how things were going at QC with the Applied Sciences department.

There was one doctor Felicity continued refusing to see: a psychiatrist. Before she'd been discharged from the hospital, she had been visited by a social worker to check on her mental state. The whole encounter had Felicity on edge and clinging to her mother. There had been a lot of questions and a lot of things she refused to talk about, prompting the woman to suggest seeing a psychiatrist and possibly taking medication.

That was one thing Felicity still didn't feel ready for. She was okay with the physical therapist and the doctors constantly examining her, but opening up to anyone about what had happened, even Det. Lance when he stopped by to see if she remembered anything about the assault, still felt uncomfortable at best and terrifying at worst.

Nightmares plagued her on a regular basis, forcing Felicity to shoot out of bed with her heart racing and her lungs burning for air. After each one, Oliver would wrap his arms around her, holding onto her tightly until she finally relaxed against him before he eased her back into bed. She always ended up with her head beneath his chin, her face buried in the crook of his neck so her nose could inhale the scent that calmed her back into sleep.

With every nightmare, Oliver tried to get her to talk about what had happened, but Felicity shook her head. She wasn't ready to talk. Her nightmares reflected the things she'd been through, the torture she'd suffered, and her mind was having a hard time processing. There were days where she'd curl up in bed, to terrified to move because her mind would run the horrors on loop. But there were other days where she managed to block everything out, days when Oliver would bundle her up in thick sweaters and jeans and down coats then take her for a walk through the snow along the edge of the frozen lake behind the house.

Those were her favorite days. Felicity wanted to experience more of them, but it seemed her subconscious wouldn't allow it. As the nightmares progressed, so did the tension between her and Oliver. After the fifth terrifying dream, where she woke up screaming his name in the middle of the night, his shoulders tensed for several minutes before relaxing. After the eighth, his breathing became shallow and it took him a while to calm down before his arms didn't feel stiff around her waist.

Felicity knew what she was doing was wrong, but she couldn't help it. She still wasn't ready to talk about what had happened, and if she was being honest with herself, she would bury those memories if it meant never having to face them again. But she did, on almost a daily basis. The first time she tried watching television curled up in her favorite spot beneath Oliver's chin, a  _Family Guy_  rape joke reduced her to tears. They stopped watching television after that.

One night, Oliver had spontaneously suggested grabbing dinner at a diner in the small town near the lake house. Felicity had gone into the closet looking for something to wear, but found herself on her knees, quietly crying and shaking. They didn't go out that night and Oliver stopped suggesting it altogether.

The worst had been when the holidays came around. Oliver's family wanted them to stop by for Christmas dinner, but Felicity hadn't been feeling up to it. He offered to cancel, to have dinner with them on a night where she wouldn't be alone for too long, but she had insisted. It was Christmas, after all, and his family was important to him. If she'd had the foresight, Felicity would have flown down to Las Vegas to visit her mother for Hanukkah, but the holiday had already come and gone, and they'd called each other every day.

So that night, Oliver slipped into a sleek black SUV as the snow began to fall while she waved him off before heading back into the house to settle in for a night by herself. Unfortunately, her thoughts chose not to cooperate, and Felicity ended up curled up under their thick duvet, shivering and crying until he came back. Seeing the terrified look on Oliver's face made her curse the traitorous thoughts that plagued her. She couldn't enjoy a single thing without panicking, and that was pulling them even further apart.

With each trigger, the nightmares worsened. As the days went by, Felicity realized she and Oliver had begun to distance themselves from each other. It wasn't much at first, just getting up for a glass of water before returning to bed, but it escalated. One cold January evening almost a month later, Felicity found herself in the throes of another terrible nightmare. It was just as awful as the first one, only this time instead of Cooper, it was Ray assaulting her from behind, pinning her against a wall. She screamed to the point where not only had Oliver come running, but Raisa as well. Felicity didn't stop until she felt Oliver's arms wrap around her and pull her into his chest. Her screams turned into violent sobs as she buried her face into the warm grey cotton of his sweatshirt.

He wasn't holding back tonight. With the terror written all over her face and the way she shook like a leaf in a violent storm, he held her as tightly as that first night. "It's okay, baby. I'm here now. I'm not leaving. I promise," Oliver whispered into her ear over and over again until it became a calming mantra, just like the rise and fall of his chest. She used his breathing as a way to center herself, carefully matching her inhales and exhales with his before her heart had stopped pounding in her ears.

"That's right, breathe with me," Oliver encouraged. "Yeah… just like that. In and out, nice and slow."

Felicity slumped into him once she'd finally calmed down and closed her eyes. Flashes of her nightmare came hurtling back, of Ray pinning her against the wall while relentlessly forcing himself into her, causing her eyelids to pop open. She would have jumped out of his arms and straight to the floor if Oliver hadn't been holding her tightly. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Felicity wept, covering her face with her hands as he let her go.

Beside her, Oliver sighed. His hand came to rest against her right shoulder, fingers stroking up and down her arm as he waited for her to calm down. "It's okay, baby," he reassured her. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"No," Felicity whimpered. She could feel him deflate, and when she looked up, Oliver was frowning at her. "I'm just not ready," she tried to let him down easy, but she could see the warmth in his blue eyes faded, leaving them cold and icy like the lake outside their window.

This would be their breaking point. Felicity knew it, deep down in her bones. All Oliver ever wanted to do was help people. It was in his nature. He'd tried to help Sara, but she had pushed him away for it. And now it seemed as if Felicity was doing the same thing. Her heart broke knowing just how terrible this situation was, and there really wasn't anything she could do about it. She wanted to come to terms with her problems, but it was hard balancing Oliver's need to help her with her need to be left alone.

"I know you want to help, Oliver, but I just can't deal with this right now," Felicity said as she reached out to cup his cheek. His head hung low, eyes averted, and she knew he wasn't happy about this either. But then he nodded his head and glanced up at her with guarded eyes.

"I'm sorry if I'm being pushy," Oliver replied. Turning his head, he pressed a kiss to her palm before pulling away. "Are you hungry?" he asked, completely changing the subject, and Felicity knew at that moment whatever relationship had been budding between them before Cooper and Ray had destroyed her life was now in jeopardy.

"Um, yeah, a little," she replied while wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"Okay, I'll have Raisa start making dinner. I need to… finish up some work in the den. I'll see you later tonight," Oliver said as he got up from the bed and made his way to the door. He didn't pause to kiss her forehead, didn't stop to tuck her in, just walked away, softly shutting the door behind him.

Felicity sat stunned for several minutes, her heart shattering into a million little pieces before she sank into the mattress and buried her face in her pillow. The tears returned with a vengeance. She knew, deep down, that this was the death knell for their relationship. For as long as she'd known Oliver, he had always been honest with her, but tonight, he'd blatantly lied to her face.

For the past month, he'd been working on his laptop beside her in bed, only going to the office when it was absolutely necessary. On those days, he'd make sure it was at times when Felicity was awake, just in case she needed him. Oliver had even told her it was the reason he'd stayed so close, that her nightmares had him on edge. But tonight… Tonight he'd just given up, and that hurt more than any physical pain Felicity had ever endured.

A little over an hour later, Raisa came upstairs and knocked on the door. "Miss Felicity," she said, treading lightly into the room.

"Yeah?" Felicity mumbled from under the covers. She hadn't moved. The green duvet was her sanctuary, the only place she currently felt safe.

"Dinner is ready. Mr. Oliver is waiting for you in the dining room."

Well, at least he was actually going to eat dinner with her, Felicity thought as she poked her head out from under the covers and dragged herself out of bed, carefully slipping on her robe. Physical therapy had helped get rid of the sling, but her shoulder still ached with every movement. Tightening the white terry cloth around her waist, she padded down the stairs, continuing to hold the robe closed as she reached the second floor. It didn't matter how high the heat was turned up, she still felt cold in the large space.

The dining room was to the left of the kitchen toward the back of the house. It's long knotted wood table had enough space to comfortably seat eight, but only two of the chairs had been used since they arrived. Oliver had already taken a seat at the head of the table, his elbows resting on the tabletop, hands clasped in front of him as he stared out the large picture windows at the darkened landscape. He didn't look away as Felicity took a seat beside him, but she could see the way the muscles in his arms tensed upon her arrival.

"Hi," she muttered, sitting down on the soft moleskin cushion before glancing at the spread before them. Raisa had made a simple meal of herb grilled chicken, garlic and thyme roasted potatoes, and a green bean casserole.

"Hi," Oliver huffed without glancing at her. He kept his eyes averted, glancing instead at the food in front of him before picking up the dish with the grilled chicken.

Silently, they filled their plates and ate their dinners, refusing to even look at each other for the better part of half an hour. Felicity's eyes remained on her food, but every once in awhile she found herself glancing at Oliver from the corner of her eye wondering if he would finally say something. But he remained quiet, taking bite after delicate bite of his chicken, his gaze either on his dinner or on the storm brewing outside.

The dark clouds reflected back into his eyes and that foreboding feeling in the pit of Felicity's stomach returned. It made her sick, wondering what was going through Oliver's mind at that moment. When it became too much to bear, she put down her fork and knife and said, "Talk to me, Oliver."

His trenchant snort echoed through the cavernous room. Finally, Oliver turned to her and replied, "What, like you talk to me?"

The biting tone with which he spit the words at her had Felicity recoiling almost immediately. Her mouth dropped open in shock and hurt as she stared at him, unable to find a response. His eyes settled on her, cold and distant, without an iota of remorse over what he'd said. Tears began to well up as a lump formed in her throat. She had never seen Oliver stare at her like that before, and if she thought his lie had been bad earlier, this was far worse.

"I do talk to you," Felicity countered, trying to keep her composure, but her voice still cracked as she spoke.

That only seemed to rile him up even more. "In the past month, you've barely said a word to me!" Oliver barked, his eyes narrowing. "The only things we talk about are how your physical therapy is going, how QC is doing, and what we want to eat for dinner! We haven't had a meaningful conversation since before…  _the incident_."

"You know I'm still having a hard time dealing with that!" she shouted back, this time taking the offensive. Her arms crossed over her chest as she glared at him.

Oliver glared back, his eyes remaining as cold as the snow covered ground outside. "How much longer are you going to use that as an excuse?" he retorted.

"It's not an excuse! It's the truth!" Felicity countered. "This isn't something that I can just bring up in conversation. I have nightmares about it, for fuck's sake! Terrifying nightmares that won't let me sleep at night!"

"And that's exactly why you need to talk about this! You can't keep holding it in and expecting it to just go away!" he argued.

"I don't want to, but do you have any idea how hard it is for me to bring it up? Do you have any idea how painful it is to even mention anything about rape?" she desperately countered. This argument was quickly getting out of hand, but now that Felicity was riled up, she had to make her point, had to make him understand. "Because it seems to me like you don't! You seem to think that if I open up, everything will be peachy. But it won't Oliver! It's just going to hurt even more! It rips my heart out every single day when a memory pops into my head of that day."

"Then go see a therapist like your doctors told you to!"

"Right, and get judged by even more people for what I've done with my life? No. Not a chance in hell," Felicity growled.

"That's not what happens when you see someone about this!"

"And how would you know, Oliver?"

"Because I had to see one after Tommy died!" he shot back, slamming his fist against the table. Felicity jumped at the sound, her chair scraping against the stone floor as her eyes widened. They stared at each other for several moments, both trying to get themselves under control. The silence was deafening until Oliver began speaking again. "I had to go to court mandated counseling everyday for a year. It wasn't easy at first, but the more I talked about my problems with someone, the less of a burden they became to me."

"But your best friend died. You weren't kidnapped and raped by two sadistic assholes hell bent on revenge!"

"No, I wasn't, and I know killing your best friend isn't the same as being assaulted, but it's still a hell of a lot to deal with."

Felicity couldn't deal with this anymore. She was done with the argument and done trying to explain herself. "I just can't do it, Oliver," she quietly replied, throwing her napkin on the table and pushing her chair back further so she could get up and walk out. "This is not something I want to share with anyone, not after what happened in Boston."

A hand grasped her wrist, gently spinning her until she faced Oliver again. "Are you afraid that no one will take your side and defend you?" he asked, his eyes the softest they had been since he calmed her down from the last nightmare.

"No," Felicity answered. "I'm afraid that this whole thing is going to get turned around against me and I'll be the one made out to look like a fool in front of the world."

"That's not going to happen," Oliver stated. Although the confidence in his voice was assuring, it wasn't enough to quell the voices in her head telling Felicity he was wrong. He seemed to sense her inner turmoil and began soothingly rubbing his hand up and down her arm, adding, "I can promise you that. I've already hired the best lawyers money can buy and the ADA is a close, personal friend of mine. I promise if anyone's going to come out of this looking like a food, it'll be those two pieces of pond scum."

But the demons in her mind refused to believe him. As her shoulders deflated, Felicity replied, "What does it matter? Cooper and Ray are certified geniuses. They're going to find a way to hurt me and they're going to find a way to hurt you, too. I don't want to deal with this anymore. I just want it to go away! And I just want to be left alone!"

Oliver's eyes narrowed, the warmth in them quickly draining. He pulled away, his face turning stone cold as he spat, "Fine, go! Be alone! It's not like this is anything new to me. Sara did the same thing when I tried to help her."

Felicity's jaw dropped. She recoiled so fast she knocked her chair over, but the sound didn't startle either of them. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. "How dare you?" she hissed, yet her anger didn't seem to faze him. Oliver sat there looking just as cold and menacing as he had moments earlier, not realizing the affect his ex's name would have on her.

Shaking her head, Felicity turned, refusing to let him see. Her heart felt like it would shatter to pieces as she walked away, unable to even look at Oliver. This was too much to bear. She needed to get away from this situation and fast.

So she ran upstairs, burying her face in her pillow. Their fight had drained her emotionally, making her wish her mother was still around. Donna seemed to have a knack for defusing tense situations, and her infinite wisdom would have come in handy tonight. She contemplated giving her a call, but decided against it. Instead, Felicity bundled the duvet around her head and closed her eyes in an attempt to sleep.

When Oliver came in about an hour later, she ignored him. Her arms tightened around the pillow she clutched to her chest as he wordlessly slipped into his side of the bed. Tears welled in her eyes. With her face pressed into the pillow, she silently cried into it. If Oliver knew what was happening, he gave no indication of it. He simply stayed on his side of the bed, his body turned away from hers.

And when the nightmares returned, Felicity did her best not to wake him when she shot up in the middle of the night, panting. Tonight, her dreams focused on Oliver walking away, leaving her to die in Cooper and Ray's filth. She got up and padded into the bathroom. The toilet lid became her seat as her head dropped into her hands and she cried for the next few hours.

Felicity knew she couldn't live like this. For the remainder of the night, she sat in the bathroom, gathering her thoughts and weighing the pros and cons of staying with a man who was slowly distancing himself from her. Although she loved him with all her heart and that he probably loved her just as much, this growing rift between them that Cooper and Ray had caused would only widen if she didn't do something about it. They needed some space, some time apart to heal after such a terrible event and to think about what it meant to be together.

As the first rays of morning light filtered into the bathroom through the large windows, Felicity had made a decision. Silently, she crept out of the bedroom into the guest room where all her electronics were stored. Her tablet was the first thing she grabbed, and upon logging in for the first time in over a month, several hundred email notifications popped up, all of which were ignored. Felicity was far more interested in the browser.

The first site she pulled up after taking a seat on the unused bed was one of those cheap airline ticket pages where she booked the first flight out of Starling that morning. Her destination: Las Vegas. Felicity needed some time away to clear her head and distance herself from the pain she'd endured here. Maybe being around a strong person like her mother would help her recover from the ordeal faster. After Oliver's hurtful words, it felt like the right decision. She knew they were both putting up walls and barriers, trying to hide what the actions of two despicable men had done to them. They were broken, possibly beyond repair, but Felicity knew they wouldn't figure it out until they'd spend some time apart.

After booking her flight and a cab to take her to the airport, she decided to start browsing the web, idly searching through news articles until she came across her name. In big, bold print, the headline read "Felicity Smoak, Oliver Queen's Secret Girlfriend, Kidnapped, Raped by Ex-Lover." She immediately blanched and clicked out of the article.

This was exactly why Felicity had willingly allowed Oliver to keep her in the dark and electronics free. After all the nightmares and sleepless nights, it had been the right thing to do considering the mere mention of rape or assault sent her into a dizzying downward spiral toward her own personal hell. But the way the article had described her as Oliver's secret girlfriend piqued her curiosity.

Felicity pulled up a custom search engine she'd created by herself on a whim and began searching her name. There were hundreds, if not thousands of articles related to her assault. Most of the major news outlets had painted her as a poor, unfortunate woman with a psychotic ex-boyfriend seeking revenge after she left him. There was no doubt in her mind the story had been spun that way by Oliver's PR team in order for the public to see her as a victim and possibly sympathize with her instead of focusing on the graphic details of the case, but the more Felicity dug, the more interesting articles she found.

There were a few media outlets, all gossip rags she noted, that sported headlines like "Felicity Smoak: Gold Digger?" or "Oliver Queen Ashamed of Girlfriend for being Raped." Those titles made her cringe before rage built up in her chest. As tears clung to her eyelashes, Felicity hacked each one and deleted the articles. But the hurtful words were already out there for the world to see, and she hated herself for not taking care of it sooner.

After an hour of digging and deleting, Felicity got up from the bed to slowly and methodically pack a single suitcase with some of her favorite items of clothing. She carefully pulled them off the hangers in the master bedroom before returning to the guest room to fold them up and neatly place them in her suitcase. A backpack full of her electronics, chargers, and an extra change of close was packed next, and once that was complete, she set about exploring the drawers of the walk in closet to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything.

Underwear, bras, socks, tank tops, pajamas; all were already packed away. It wasn't until Felicity reached a small box set on top of her drawers that she paused. Inside were a few shiny pieces of jewelry, but the one that caught her eye was the heart necklace Oliver had given her. One of the silver links was broken, making it impossible to wear again. Her fingers brushed over the cold metal, memories of better times, times when life wasn't this complicated, putting a smile on her face.

Felicity picked it up, letting it dangle from her fingertips as she stared at the little locked heart that had meant so much to her for the time she'd worn it. Although it came with a few bad memories, it had been her touchstone when things got rough or when she needed a reminder that there was someone always looking out for her. What had happened to that person, she wondered. Where had that Oliver gone? Probably the same place her old self had gone; somewhere far away and unreachable.

Setting the silver chain back in the box beside the keys that opened the lock, Felicity closed the lid. As much as she wanted to take it with her, that necklace no longer held the significance it had before the assault. Now it was just another tainted piece of her past. Slipping out of the closet and through the bedroom, she gave it one last glance, her eyes settling on Oliver's sleeping form. She knew she should wake him and give him a proper goodbye, but her heart still hurt from the night before. She walked past him into the hallway, shutting the door quietly, and headed downstairs to wait for her ride.

There was still a good hour before the taxi was slated to arrive, so Felicity decided to take a seat on one of the warm leather couches. Her eyes drifted to the large windows and the forest beyond while her mind went blank for a little while. She was going to miss the place, miss the snow covered trees and the walks around the lake. Most of all, she was going to miss Oliver. But they needed some time away from each other, she kept reminding herself. They had been through so much pain and strife in such a short amount of time. It was only fair.

Felicity's phone dinged with a reminder that her taxi would be arriving at any moment. She got up off the couch and headed for the door to slip into her sneakers. Just as she finished tying the laces, she heard soft footsteps padding down the stairs.

"Felicity?" came Oliver's sleep-roughened voice as he came up behind her where she stood dressed in jeans, a long sleeve shirt, and her warmest peacoat.

Her head shot up at the sound of his voice and she could see the confusion written in his azure eyes, clear as day. But she didn't say anything. She carried on as if he wasn't there, checking to make sure she had everything she needed for her flight. It hurt to ignore him, but he'd ignored her all night, so it only seemed fitting.

"Felicity, what's going on?" Oliver added, crossing his arms over his bare chest. This time, he gave her a pointed look as he waited for an answer.

"I'm leaving, Oliver," she said, her tone coming out flat and uncaring even though a multitude of emotions simmered beneath the surface.

He immediately deflated, his eyes growing wide and his arms dropping to his sides. "What? Why?" he asked.

"Because I think it was a bad idea to start something so quickly after you and Sara broke up. Because I can't give you want you want right now. Because I know we're both hurting each other and that this…  _thing_ … that happened to me isn't going to be easy to deal with," Felicity answered. "I'm sorry, Oliver, but right now, everything is just too fucked up in both our lives, and after last night, I knew things between us weren't going to work out."

"What? No!" he vehemently denied. Oliver strode up to her, his hands reaching out to cup her elbows. "Felicity, if this was about what I said, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you…"

"But you did, Oliver!" she shouted, forcing him to drop his hands and step away from her. Tears returned to her eyes, tears that felt raw and painful and full of the emotions she'd been holding back since the previous day. "I know this is hard for you to accept, but I need some space. I need to get away from Starling for a little while. I need time to heal, and the only way I'm going to get that is if I leave."

"But what about the company? What about your position?" Oliver asked. Then his voice dropped to almost a whisper. "What about me?"

Felicity stepped up to him and placed a hand on his cheek, her fingers gently stroking over the scruff that she had always been fond of. "You said it yourself, Applied Sciences won't be up and running until May. That gives you plenty of time to find a replacement if you need to. Right now, my health is more important than my job," she said, giving him a wayward smile as he nodded in agreement.

"You need time to heal too," she softly added. "You and I, we've been through a lot these past few weeks, and not much of it has been good. I think this is a sign that maybe we need to part ways for a little while and see how we do without each other. Maybe someday in the future, we can get back to what we had, but right now, it's probably best that we spent some time apart." She saw the pain in his eyes, the agony that came with realizing she was right. "For what it's worth," Felicity said, "I still love you."

Placing his hand over hers, Oliver gave it one last ditch effort and begged her, "Please don't go, Felicity. I promise I'll do better. I promise I won't push you. I promise..."

Her fingers brushed over his lips to stop him. The tears glazing his eyes broke her heart, but Felicity still shook her head. "I have to, Oliver… I  _need_ to. This isn't about us. This isn't about you. It's about me, and if you want me to get better, you'll let me go," she reasoned. Felicity started to tug her hand away, but he kept it where it was pressed against his cheek.

"Promise me when you're ready, you'll come back and we'll try again," he said, his eyes locked on hers.

She gave him a watery smile. "I promise," Felicity replied.

They stood there for several moments, Oliver's hand still on top of hers as he ran his thumb over her knuckles, drawing out her departure for just a little while longer. But Felicity had a flight to catch in another three hours and she needed to head to the airport to get her bag checked and make her way through security.

She tried to pull her hand away, but as soon as she wiggled it out from beneath his and turned to grab her bag, Oliver wrapped his fingers around her wrist and spun her back around so they faced each other once more. His lips were on hers in a split second, kissing her with all the desperation of a broken man until her brain caught up and she kissed back with equal fervor. It was over far too soon when he pulled away, leaving her dazed and wanting more.

But she couldn't have anymore than that or her plan would unravel, so Felicity pursed her lips and stepped away. "Goodbye, Oliver," she whispered, glancing back over her shoulder to see a single tear roll down his cheek.

"Goodbye, Felicity," he replied, his voice thick with emotions.

Then she turned and grabbed her bags, stepping out onto the snow covered porch. Her taxi was already waiting to take her to the airport, the cabbie standing out in the drive to help her with her suitcase. Their eyes met, and just before she got into the back seat, Oliver whispered, "I love you."

The door closed with a dull thunk. Felicity leaned against the black vinyl seat feeling the tears she had refused to shed finally begin to fall. Had she made the right decision? Leaving Oliver felt terrible without talking about the words they'd said the previous night. She still loved him despite everything, but the need to find the strength she'd lost after the attack felt more important. If that meant walking away from the life she knew, from the city that had become her home, then she was ready to take that step.

Felicity was ready to put herself first and become the person she once was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reaching the end of this journey with me. It comes as a nice surprise that I happened to finish editing it on my birthday (yesterday) and posting it today (2 days before the S4 premiere).
> 
> I would love to hear what you thought.
> 
> Thanks again!
> 
> -Chase

**Author's Note:**

> Please review and feed the muse! She survives off your comments.


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